How Holistic Land Management Inspires, Keeps Hope Alive

Image Gallery An ardent nature lover since childhood, Beau Turner has turned that passion into amazing conservation work. TURNER ENTERPRISES INC.

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Reed Beauregard Turner (or Beau, as he is universally known) is one of the most influential and proactive conservationists in the world. He has been charged with the task of acquiring more than 2 million acres (spread out over 21 properties in 12 states in North America and three in Argentina), and then deciding where the millions of dollars allocated to research, restoration and land management programs will be spent on those properties. Turner serves as chairman of the trustees for the Turner Endangered Species Fund and director of natural resources for Turner Enterprises, Inc., positions where he is regularly part of the global discussion about how to balance care for the planet with political and economic agendas.

Discovering a Passion

Despite his heavy workload, however, Beau’s approach to life and work remain firmly rooted in a simple lesson he learned at the age of 5.

“It all goes back to the land.” He says, “I spent most of my time outdoors as a kid, hunting and fishing with my dad and other mentors.” “I can still remember the day I caught my first fish at the age of five. From that moment on, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to protect the land and the animals on it.”

Oddly enough, Beau never thought he would be working with or for his father, media mogul Ted Turner.

“My goal was to find a way to make money and buy the land myself,” he says. Beau preferred being outdoors to focusing on books and eventually realized that he would have to give school his full attention if he hoped to realize his goal. “I really took college seriously and did quite well. I knew I had to do well in school to do well by the environment. That was my passion and I was totally hooked.”

However, the elder Turner recognized vision when he saw it and made a pact with his son.

“My father and I shook on it,” Beau says. “I said if he would do something related to land acquisition and restoration I would come work for him. He said ‘absolutely,’ and really let me have the reins. In fact, looking back, I still can’t believe he trusted me as much as he did.”

That pact came to fruition in the early 1990s, when Ted put Beau in charge of finding and purchasing huge parcels of ranch land. Together, the father-son team became arguably the largest private landowners in the United States. They then set about restoring biodiversity, reintroducing native plant and animal species, and generating income. Beau calls this “holistic land management,” and the results, which include everything from preserving longleaf pines and protecting Black-footed Ferrets to raising bison and reintroducing Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, have been impressive.

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