Ikea Investment Group Buys Nearly 11,000 Acres In Georgia

Ikea just scooped up almost 11,000 acres of land in southeastern Georgia.

But no, none of it will be used for a new retail hub.

Ikea’s investment group, the Ingka Group, acquired about 10,840 acres of land to protect it from being developed, aiming to save plant and wildlife species that call the land home, People reported Monday (February 1).

The land is located near the Altamaha River Basin, and is from the nonprofit The Conservation Fund, which has aimed to protect millions of acres of land over the years, according to a press release from Ikea.

“We are honoured to work with Ingka Group and applaud its dedication to preserve and enhance forest quality in the U.S. and Europe. Well-managed forests provide essential benefits, including clean water and important wildlife habitat, as well as mitigating climate change,” Larry Selzer, President and CEO of The Conservation Fund, said in the release.

Some endangered species that live on the Georgia land include the gopher tortoise and the longleaf pine, People noted.

"We are committed to managing our forests sustainably while at the same time meeting our business objectives. In all our properties, we pay special attention to ensuring environmental protection, so we are happy to see that our efforts in working with responsible forest management are being seen and trusted," Ingka Investment Managing Director Krister Mattsson said. “We are committed to managing our forests sustainably while at the same time meeting our business objectives. In all our properties, we pay special attention to ensuring environmental protection, so we are happy to see that our efforts in working with responsible forest management are being seen and trusted.”

Ingka Group owns and manages about 613,000 acres of forestland in the U.S. and Europe, according to Ikea.

Ikea aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, among other environmental initiatives, according to People.

The Ingka Group has planted more than 600,000 seedlings in the U.S. from September 2019 to August 2020, the release states.

Photo: Stacy Funderburke, Ikea Newsroom