By Phebe Wahl
“As long as I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by nature and creatures of all kinds. I’ve been told my first word was ‘pretty’ when I saw a butterfly,” reflects lifelong Atlantan Ted Turner, who recently launched Ted Turner Expeditions, offering customized, eco-minded trips with access to more than 1.1 million acres of his privately owned lands (from $145 per night). Over the years, the living legend, who founded CNN, has amassed more than 2 million acres of land and worked tirelessly to restore that land to its natural condition. “The beauty of these properties and the wildlife on these lands are nothing short of remarkable,” Turner says. “I really hope visitors enjoy the experience as much as my family and I do.”
Formerly dubbed “the Mouth of the South” for his outspoken advocacy, the tycoon-turned-philanthropist has always put his money where his mouth is, recently fulfilling a pledge of $1 billion to the United Nations, where he also serves as chairman of the United Nations Foundation board of directors. “It’s vitally important for the world to have a place where leaders can get together and try to solve global problems, and there’s no better organization in the world for this type of work than the United Nations,” he says. “We have to work together to ensure that we’re treating our planet and each other in the best way possible. If we don’t, we’re headed for self-destruction.”
