Field Journal

Mile for Mile, a film project that celebrated the incredible landscape of Patagonia through trail running, has exceeded its fundraising target allowing more than 50 miles of new trails to be built.

The film (see below) by James Q Martin follows ultrarunners Krissy Moehl, Jeff Browning and Luke Nelson as they run 106 miles through the newly opened Patagonia Park in Chile, to celebrate and highlight Conservacion Patagonica’s efforts to re-wild and protect this vast landscape. The park sweeps from the northern ice cap, down to the Baker River and out to the arid borderlands of Argentina. The park’s glaciated peaks, grasslands, beech forests, lakes, rivers and wetlands still have all of their original species.

It has now been announced that thanks to the fundraising by the film’s stars, and donations from runners around the world, plus a matching grant from Patagonia, the Mile for Mile campaign exceeded its goal and has raised more than $90,000. Conservacion Patagonia will use that money to build more than 50 miles of new trails in Patagonia Park, connecting locals and visitors to this wilderness.

Kris Tompkin, a conservationist and former CEO of Patagonia, wrote on Patagonia’s blog, The Cleanest Line: ‘Every aspect of park creation – grassland rehabilitation, architecture, community outreach, and more – is integral to the project’s success, but beautiful and functional trails remain one of the most essential. Some of the park’s most magnificent vistas are only accessible by foot. When visitors take to the trails, they get a new perspective of the park that can lead to a deeper appreciation of the landscapes that it seeks to protect.

‘Thanks to the Mile for Mile campaign, we will be able to introduce more visitors to the beauty of Patagonia Park, inspiring protection for this landscape and beyond. Krissy, Jeff and Luke turned their passion into action. Their now famous 106-mile trail run through the future national park created worldwide attention and thousands of new supporters. They are a reminder to us all that everyone has something to give—whether it is time, skills or ideas—to protect the places we love.’