Home / Environment / Fortnite Billionaire Preserves Wilderness
Fortnite Billionaire Preserves Wilderness
15 Mar
Summary
- Epic Games CEO bought over 50,000 acres of forest.
- Land purchases began in 2008 during the financial crisis.
- Land is donated or sold at discount to conservation groups.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has dedicated a substantial portion of his fortune to acquiring and preserving over 50,000 acres of forest across 15 North Carolina counties. His conservation efforts began in 2008, a period marked by the global financial crisis and abandoned real estate projects.
Sweeney strategically purchased ecologically rich lands, such as the 7,000-acre Box Creek Wilderness, that were at risk of development. These acquisitions were often made through an LLC named "130 of Chatham." The land is then typically transferred at a reduced cost or donated to conservation groups.
A significant contribution was his 2021 donation of approximately 7,500 acres in the Roan Highlands to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, marking North Carolina's largest private land gift. This ensures the permanent protection of unique spruce-fir ecosystems.
As land prices rise, Sweeney has shifted his focus to permanently safeguarding his existing holdings through conservation easements. He believes that protecting land permanently ensures it will endure beyond any individual's lifetime, a stark contrast to typical philanthropic investments.
