IKEA Just Bought A Ton Of Land In Georgia To Save It From Development

Swedish retail store IKEA just bought a ton of land in Georgia to protect it from development.

Ingka Group, an IKEA holding company, purchased 10,840 acres of forestland near the Altamaha River Basin in southeast Georgia, which is known for its high conservation value.

Editor's Choice: Four Endangered Whales Were Just Spotted Off The Coast Of Georgia

In this particular US investment in Georgia, first it is important that the land [...] remains forever forestland. Krister Mattsson, Ingka Investments managing director

The company's goal is to protect the land and its diverse ecosystems from development.

The forestland was sold to the IKEA shareholder because of Ingka Group's proven responsible forest management — the company already owns 136,000 acres of land across five U.S. states, according to IKEA's press release. 

"This investment in Georgia is special to us as our partners from The Conservation Fund understood our long-term vision and have entrusted us to ensure the protection of the forestland," said Krister Mattsson, managing director at Ingka Investments.

Under the Ingka Group's agreement with The Conservation Fund — which is one of the country's top environmental nonprofits — the company is obligated to protect the land from fragmentation, restore the forest, and safeguard the habitats of certain species in the area.  

"Well-managed forests provide essential benefits, including clean water and important wildlife habitat, as well as mitigating climate change," said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund.

The agreement also allows the public to have access to the land, which is usually forbidden by forestland owners.