Conservation Fund Buys Jimmy Carter Family Farm for $8.5 Million

The Conservation Fund purchased the 2,458-acre family farm of the late President Jimmy Carter near Plains, Georgia, for $8.5 million. The nonprofit intends to preserve the land as a wildlife habitat, protecting native forests and species such as tortoises and rare freshwater mussels. The property's recent replanting of longleaf pines supports these conservation goals.

The land may open to the public for fishing, hunting, and other outdoor recreation as early as 2027. By 2028, the organization will transfer the property to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which will integrate the farm into the Lanahassee Creek Wildlife Management Area, expanding it to nearly 7,000 acres.

Amy Carter stated that the acquisition fits her father's vision and noted that the family was not simply passing the land off to anyone. The sale does not include the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, which remains under the management of the National Park Service.