Jimmy Carter’s Georgia Family Farm to Open to Public

The former family farm of US President Jimmy Carter in southwest Georgia is set to open to the public after a conservation organisation acquired the historic property with plans to protect its wildlife habitats and preserve its connection to the late president. The Conservation Fund announced on Monday that it had purchased the approximately 2,458-acre property outside Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia.

The organisation plans to make the land accessible for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational activities as early as 2027. It also intends to transfer the property to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources in 2028, allowing it to become part of the state’s Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area.

The expansion would bring the wildlife management area to nearly 7,000 acres, creating a larger protected landscape while preserving a place that played an important role in shaping Carter’s connection to nature and conservation.

Jimmy Carter’s Family Farm Acquired for Conservation

The Conservation Fund said its acquisition will ensure the long-term protection of the Carter family farm, which covers around 2,458 acres, or approximately 995 hectares, in southwest Georgia.

The property is closely connected to Carter’s childhood and his life beyond the White House. He grew up working on the family land, where his father, Earl Carter, operated agricultural activities involving peanuts, corn and sugarcane.

For Carter, the farm was more than a place of agricultural work. Its surrounding woods, fields and waterways became an important part of his relationship with the natural environment. He returned to the property throughout his life to walk, hunt and fish.

The Conservation Fund’s purchase is intended to preserve that landscape while making it available to future generations. Once the planned transfer to the state takes place in 2028, the property is expected to become part of a larger public Wildlife Conservation area.

When Will Jimmy Carter’s Farm Open to the Public?

The Conservation Fund expects to open the property for public outdoor recreation as early as 2027. Visitors could be able to use the land for activities such as hunting, fishing and exploring the natural surroundings.

The organisation plans to transfer ownership to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources in 2028. The farm would then become part of the Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area, expanding the protected landscape to nearly 7,000 acres.

The planned schedule means public access could begin before the formal transfer to the state. However, the announcement does not provide specific opening dates, visitor facilities, access arrangements or detailed rules for recreational activities.

Those details are likely to be important for visitors once the public-access plans move closer to implementation. Hunting and fishing, in particular, will depend on the regulations and management arrangements established for the property.

How the Farm Shaped Jimmy Carter’s Conservation Legacy

The Conservation Fund has highlighted the connection between Carter’s upbringing on the farm and his later achievements in environmental protection. Long before he became president, Carter developed a close relationship with the forests, fields and wildlife of southwest Georgia.

As a child, he worked alongside his father in the family’s agricultural operations and explored the surrounding woods. The land remained important to him even after his political career took him to the Georgia governor’s office and eventually the White House.

His experience on the property helped establish a lasting interest in protecting natural landscapes. The Conservation Fund described the farm as a place that influenced Carter’s environmental values and remained a personal connection throughout his life.

Stacy Funderburke, vice-president of the Conservation Fund’s central southeast region, said the property played a central role in the former president’s life and legacy.

“Long before Jimmy Carter protected millions of acres across America, he was a boy working the fields and roaming the woods of southwest Georgia. This land shaped him and his legacy, and he never stopped coming home to it.”

Funderburke added that the organisation was honoured to help protect the land as a healthy habitat for wildlife and looked forward to opening it to people who wanted to experience the property.

Carter’s Environmental Record as US President

Carter’s connection to the Georgia farm was reflected in his approach to environmental protection during his political career. One of the most significant conservation measures of his presidency was the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which he signed in late 1980.

The legislation protected more than 104 million acres of land in Alaska, making it the largest expansion of protected public lands in US history, according to the Conservation Fund.

The measure established or expanded protections across vast areas of Alaska, preserving important natural landscapes and wildlife habitats. It remains one of the defining environmental achievements associated with Carter’s presidency.

Carter also established 39 units of the national park system during his time in office. These included the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Georgia.

His conservation record extended beyond individual national parks and protected landscapes. The farm acquisition highlights the personal experiences that helped shape his interest in preserving natural environments.

Longleaf Pine Restoration and Wildlife Protection

The Carter family farm is also significant because of its ecological features. The Conservation Fund said the property contains mature longleaf pine trees that Carter specifically asked his family to preserve.

During one of his final land conservation decisions, Carter also arranged for much of the farm to be replanted with young longleaf pine trees. The effort was intended to help restore the native forest that once covered large parts of the region.

Longleaf pine ecosystems are important to the wildlife of the southeastern United States. Their restoration can help maintain habitats for species that depend on these native landscapes.

One particularly important species mentioned by the Conservation Fund is the gopher tortoise. Conservationists have been working to protect the animal and prevent it from becoming endangered.

The property also contains creeks that provide habitat for freshwater mussels, including rare species. Protecting these waterways and their surrounding ecosystems will be part of the broader conservation value of the acquisition.

The planned addition of the farm to the Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area could therefore benefit more than visitors seeking outdoor recreation. It would also help protect forests, waterways and habitats that support the region’s biodiversity.

Jimmy Carter’s Grandson Welcomes the Farm’s Protection

The Carter family has welcomed the acquisition and the plans to preserve the property for future generations. Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson, said the land held deep personal significance for the family.

“For our family, this land was always about more than a farm. It was home – a place my grandparents treasured. We’re grateful to The Conservation Fund and to everyone working to make sure it’s protected for generations to come.”

His remarks underline the personal importance of the property beyond its environmental value. The farm was a place where Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, spent time away from public life.

Carter regularly returned to the land to walk with Rosalynn, hunt and fish in the property’s pond. The couple continued visiting the farm even towards the later years of their lives.

The acquisition therefore preserves both a natural landscape and a place closely associated with the former president’s family history.

Family Farm Is Different From Carter’s Boyhood Home

The Conservation Fund has clarified that the acquired property is separate from Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home, which is maintained by the US National Park Service.

The boyhood home preserves the house where Carter lived as a child and forms part of the historical record of his early life in Georgia. The newly acquired family farm, by contrast, covers a much larger landscape of agricultural land, forests and natural habitats.

The distinction is important for visitors interested in understanding Carter’s connection to Plains. The National Park Service site preserves the historic residential setting, while the farm represents the wider landscape where he worked, explored nature and developed his interest in conservation.

Once public access begins, the farm could provide another way for visitors to explore the places that influenced the former president’s life.

Jimmy Carter’s Life Beyond the White House

Jimmy Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A Democrat and former governor of Georgia, he defeated incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election.

His presidency ended after he lost the 1980 election to Republican challenger Ronald Reagan. The Iran hostage crisis was among the major issues facing his administration during the election campaign.

After leaving office, Carter became internationally recognised for his humanitarian and diplomatic work. He continued working on efforts to resolve global conflicts peacefully, advance human rights and democracy, and support economic and social development.

His post-presidential work earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. The award recognised his efforts to promote peaceful solutions to international disputes and improve conditions for people around the world.

Carter died in December 2024 at the age of 100, a little more than a year after the death of his wife, Rosalynn Carter.

Why the Acquisition Matters for Georgia’s Conservation Efforts

The planned transfer of the Carter family farm to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources represents an effort to combine historic preservation, public recreation and wildlife protection.

By incorporating the property into the Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area, the state is expected to gain a larger protected landscape. The expansion to nearly 7,000 acres could strengthen the area’s conservation value by bringing additional forests, waterways and habitats under a unified management framework.

The arrangement also reflects a broader approach to protecting privately owned land with environmental and historical significance. Conservation organisations can help secure such properties before transferring them to public authorities for long-term management.

For the Carter family, the agreement offers a way to preserve a place associated with generations of family memories. For Georgia, it could add an important area to its protected natural landscape. And for visitors, the planned opening in 2027 could provide an opportunity to experience the land that helped shape one of America’s most prominent conservation-minded presidents.

What Happens Next?

The immediate next step is the Conservation Fund’s preparation of the property for public access. The organisation has indicated that hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational activities could begin as early as 2027.

The planned transfer to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources is scheduled for 2028, after which the farm is expected to become part of the expanded Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area.

Specific visitor arrangements and access rules have not yet been detailed. Nevertheless, the acquisition establishes a long-term plan to protect the property while allowing the public to experience its natural surroundings.

More than a historic family property, the farm represents the connection between Jimmy Carter’s early life in rural Georgia and his later efforts to protect natural landscapes across the United States. Its planned transformation into public conservation land will preserve that connection for future generations.