This is getting a lot of bad press for Mr. Parker--my eco-aware friends on facebook (yeah, I know) are going nuts over this.
If I were him, I'd want to salvage my reputation and quick. Maybe donate some huge amount more (Wedding cost was $10M? Donate $10M.) and humbly apologize. Otherwise, he'll always be "that facebook guy who cut down the forest."
Not that I know the guy, but he comes across as the type who just doesn't care.
I respect him for what he did at Napster, what he attempted to do at Plaxo (as some start ups today have, in a way, picked up where he left off), what he helped Facebook become, and what he did at Spotify, but he comes off as incredibly cocky[1] and has a talking style filled with arrogance[2].
Again, nothing but respect for what he accomplished in the business world. But nothing seems to piss people off more than a rich guy who thinks he can do whatever he wants. Especially when it involves the environment...in California...in a National Park. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCyMz-u-HcQ . Good interview, and he is obviously incredibly smart, but he comes off in such a way that seems very egotistical. Maybe when you're a billionaire you can get away with that.
If I were him, I'd want to salvage my reputation and quick. Maybe donate some huge amount more (Wedding cost was $10M? Donate $10M.) and humbly apologize. Otherwise, he'll always be "that facebook guy who cut down the forest."