Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Physical Fences And Social Boundaries: The Human Implications Of Privatizing Nature In Patagonia Park, Elizabeth Sizer

Student Symposium

Patagonia Park has undergone a huge shift in the last decade. Monetary investments made by American entrepreneurs, Doug and Kris Tompkins, have transformed the property from the fenced-in cattle ranch that stood for over a century into an international ecotourism destination with remarkable and inspiring landscapes. In January 2017, I traveled to Patagonia Park to explore my curiosity about this transformation and to learn more about the park's purpose and its impact on the local communities. Although its founders and followers forged the park’s vision with good intentions, my research suggests that there are clear social implications related to the …