2007年VOA标准英语-Preserving Pumalin: Millionaires With a Mission

By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
27 June 2007
 

After successful careers in the sportswear business, Doug and Kristine Tompkins set out with a passion to preserve the some of the world's last remaining wild places.  Today they are among the largest landholders in the southern hemisphere.  Paul Sisco reports.

Doug and Kristine Tompkins

One way to help save the environment is to buy it. Doug and Kristine Tompkins have bought and created Pumalin Park, an over 300,000 hectare  wilderness¹ park in Chile.

The park sits on the northern edge of Patagonia in Southern Chile.  Fifteen years ago, with millions of dollars made running sportswear companies North Face, Esprit, and Patagonia, they began buying patches of wilderness for preservation² purposes.

The Pumalin preserve cuts Chile in two

Today, through their non-profit foundations, the couple owns and controls over 800,000 hectares of park land in the southern hemisphere.

"It's peanuts if you weigh it against what's being saved on an annual basis versus³ what is being destroyed,” says Kristine Tompkins. “We're on the losing team."

Pumalin Park is home to pristine⁴ waters from the Andes mountains, untouched 3,000-year-old forest, and protected wildlife. The Tompkins vow⁵ to keep it that way.

Pumalin park

But some Chilean officials want to see a national highway right though Pumalin. 

"We're going to see about that," says Doug.

The preserve cuts Chile in two.  To reach its' center visitors must take a ferry or drive through neighboring Argentina.  The Tompkins want a less invasive coastal⁶ connection.

Most visitors to the park like it just the way it is.  Doug and Kristine Tompkins have already given parks to Chile and Argentina, and plan to donate Pumalin Park to the people of Chile when they are convinced it will remain as it is.

1 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

3 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

4 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

5 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。