L AND REPORT 100 SPECIAL ISSUE W W W . L A N D R E P O R T . C O M | F A L L 2 0 1 2 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LANDOWNER $15 LARGEST USA LANDOWNERS S P E C I A L R E P O R T Montana’s Broken O Ranch THE LARGEST LANDOWNERS & Cascade, Lewis & Clark, & Teton Counties THE LEADING LISTINGS IN THE U.S. PLUS: 10 PROPERTIES FOR OVER $50 MILLION LOUIS BACON’S RECORD-SETTING CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO ALL WHO KNOW THE VALUE OF LOOKING OUT OVER LAND THAT IS YOURS ... The Land Report’s 100 understand that owning a ranch is first and foremost an investment in a tangible asset that can grow and be passed on to future generations. Fay Ranches is an expert in recognizing and realizing ranch value. The supply of ranches is finite and decreasing and the demand is increasing. Ranches with profitable agricultural operations, exceptional views, unique water amenities or world class sporting opportunities are sought in today’s economic environment by savvy investors, expanding businesses, and families who value a genuine piece of the American tradition— room to roam. Helping others discover and claim the unparalleled and timeless gifts found on the lands of the American West is what we strive for every day. It is an honor to connect others with the open spaces, lifestyle, and values we hold dear. Fay Ranches is in the midst of the best year in the history of the company. We’d be happy to show you why. Here’s to The Land Report 100, TheLand Report 10 0 John Malone No2,200.,000 acre1s Left: Cowboys on New Mexico’s Bell Ranch. Middle: Bell Mountain towers over pronghorn antelope. Top: Timber stands. Below: The nation’s largest landowner in Sun Valley. ritain’s Daily Mail was Malone’s track record as a flabbergasted — and rightly landowner has followed a similar so. The amount of acreage arc. Over the last two decades, Bowned by Liberty Media’s Chair- it too has ascended sharply. man John Malone is beyond the Out west, Malone’s Silver Spur comprehension of city slickers, Ranches are headquartered in suburban dwellers, and even plain Encampment, Wyoming. The country folk. As the Mail put it, ranches themselves are in the 71-year-old’s holdings are Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, “just under the size of the Middle and New Mexico. The most Eastern country Jordan and just famous is the Bell Ranch, a over the size of Serbia. That means 290,100-acre cattle kingdom the total sum of Mr Malone’s land REUTERS / RICK WILKING whose roots go back to is nearly three Rhode Islands. Or two Delawares. the 1824 Montoya Land Grant. Malone acquired The Bell It is the size of 151 Manhattan islands. It’s a lot of land.” from Chicago’s Lane family in 2010. Most of the ink devoted to this Connecticut native follows the In 2011, he acquired 1 million acres in Maine and New Hampshire developments at Liberty, which Malone has shepherded from its from GMO Renewables. His timing was spot-on. Thanks to an infancy as a minor spin-off of Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) anemic housing market, timberland prices were in a trough. Now in 1991 to a major media holding company whose wide-ranging that the U.S. housing market is showing signs of life, there’s no interests include the Atlanta Braves and Starz. telling how much these holdings have appreciated. 4 TheLandReport | FALL 2012 LANDREPORT.COM TheLand Report 10 0 No. 2 Left: Turner in the Ted Turner field on Nebraska’s 2,000,000+ acres Spikebox Ranch. Above: A baby Bolson tortoise on New Mexico’s Armendaris Ranch. Right: Desert bighorn sheep gather in New Mexico. Below: In Dallas as Park Cities Quail’s 2012 honoree. TESF RHETT TURNER TESF urner’s longtime leadership as the Chiricahua leopard frog, the a steward of the land received northern aplomado falcon, the its due this year as the man northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf, Thimself and his charitable endeavors and the Mexican gray wolf. were recognized time and again Turner Enterprises’ Biodiversity by some of the nation’s leading Divisions and the Turner Endangered conservation organizations. Species Fund were selected this May In March, Turner’s passion for as recipients of the 2012 President’s upland birds was singled out when Fishery Conservation Award from the he became the sixth recipient of the American Fisheries Society for work T. Boone Pickens Award from Park with westslope cutthroat trout, Rio Cities Quail, which is dedicated to Grande cutthroat trout, Rio Grande sustaining and restoring huntable wild PARK CITIES QUAIL chub, Rio Grande sucker, and arctic quail populations as well as encouraging and educating youth. grayling. The American Fisheries Society is the nation’s preeminent Also in March, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced that organization for advancing sound science, promoting professional the Turner Endangered Species Fund was designated a 2011 Recovery development, and disseminating science-based fisheries information Champion. This prestigious award honors outstanding efforts to for the global protection, conservation, and sustainability of fisheries conserve and protect imperiled species. Among those benefitting resources and aquatic ecosystems. The Fishery Conservation Award from the foundation’s efforts include the Bolson tortoise, the desert is a resounding endorsement of the fine leadership that Dr. Carter bighorn sheep, the black-footed ferret, the red-cockaded woodpecker, Kruse has displayed as Team Turner’s lead on these projects. LANDREPORT.COM FALL 2012 | TheLandReport 5 TheLand Report Racing Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas No. 4 (right) leads Brad Kelley’s Kentucky 10 0 Derby hopeful Optimizer during a workout at Churchill Downs. REUTERS/JOHN SOMMERS II E3mmerson Family B4rad Kelley I5rving Family 1,840,000 acres 1,500,000 acres 1,200,000 acres ierra Pacific Industries (SPI) was entucky Derby hopeful Optimizer ased in New Brunswick, Canada, J.D. founded in the 1920s by Curly Emmer- (pictured above) got a new home Irving Inc. owns more than 1 million son and has been owned and operated after his owner, Brad Kelley, took the acres of timberland in Maine (as well Sby his descendants ever since. Based in Kreins at Calumet Farm. The historic 800-acre Bas substantial tracts in Eastern Canada). The Northern California, with additional hold- Lexington landmark, which had been owned Irving family’s forestry business dates back ings throughout the Pacific Northwest, SPI is by the heirs of Henryk de Kwiatkowski, sold more than 125 years, but management is the second-largest lumber producer in the for an estimated $36 million this spring definitely forward-thinking. One example nation. Although the Emmersons seek to ($50,000 per acre). In 1992, de Kwiatkowski would be the company’s substantial invest- expand their holdings through strategic paid $17 million ($21,250 per acre) for the ment in biomass energy. Another would be acquisitions, they have given more than 350 farm. Since its founding in 1924, Calumet at its Cavendish Farms, which rank as square miles of their California holdings to has enjoyed a record number of Triple one of the largest potato processors in North federal, state, and local entities. These trans- Crown winners. No doubt Kelley hopes to America, where the company has replaced fers have included tracts with high conserva- emulate this success going forward. He has engines that use heavy-grade fuel oil with tion values as well as ones with outstanding relocated his Hurricane Hall and Bluegrass those using cleaner-burning natural gas. recreational features. Among them are Hall racing operations to the stables. Kelley’s The family-owned company continues its the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding interest in animals goes beyond Thorough- tradition of planting trees. Over the past 50 Natural Area, Mt. Lola, Martis Peak, breds and includes endangered species. He years it has planted over 850 million of them. Perazzo Meadows, and lands along the provides support to many wildlife and con- This year alone, J.D. Irving will plant some American, Yuba, and Rubicon Rivers. servation groups around the world. 30 million seedlings in its forests. 6 TheLandReport | FALL 2012 LANDREPORT.COM TheLand Report 10 0 No. 7 King Ranch’s name and reputation extends far beyond the bounds of its South Texas roots. Through its part- nership with Ford Motor Company, the Running W brand can be found on Ford’s line of best-selling trucks. GUSTAV SCHMIEGE III S6ingleton Family K7ing Ranch Heirs P8ingree Heirs 1,110,000 acres 911,215 acres 830,000 acres eadquartered at New Mexico’s ing Ranch is a recognized leader aine broke off from Massachu- famed San Cristobal Ranch just out- in research projects involving setts and was granted statehood side of Santa Fe, Singleton Ranches agriculture as well as wildlife. On in 1820. Only two decades later, His nationally known as one of the country’s KOctober 25 and 26, ranchers and landowners MDavid Pingree, an enterprising partner in top cow-calf operations. Family patriarch from across the U.S. will journey to South a successful Salem shipping firm, saw oppor- Henry Singleton cofounded Teledyne with Texas to attend the King Ranch Institute for tunity in the northern part of the new state. George Kozmetsky. Later in life he began Ranch Management’s annual Symposium Groups of investors were pooling their re- acquiring ranches in New Mexico totaling on Excellence in Ranch Management. This sources and purchasing at auction blocks of 1 million deeded acres and 165,000 acres of year’s focus is “Water: Agricultural Chal- land to be held “in-common-and-undivided.” state leases.