Honoring Ted Turner 1938-2026

Like many of you, we were stunned to learn of the passing of Ted Turner this week. We knew he was approaching the end of his battle with Lewy body dementia, but we were not ready to say good-bye to this visionary person.

Ted’s vision changed the course of conservation in America and helped shape a broader understanding that restoration is not only possible, but necessary. Through Vermejo and so many other efforts, he connected landscapes, wildlife, people, and ways of thinking that will continue to have profound impact. You can read more about his conservation work in this article in the New York Times: “Ted Turner’s Legacy as a Landowner and Conservationist.” 

For all of us connected to Preserved, his legacy has been part of our day-to-day thinking for years. We wanted to share these thoughts from director Ben Clark:

Ted Turner’s outsized vision for the world was successful. How he shaped culture, business, sports, and how we communicate—each is singularly enough of a contribution to humanity. That he lived and fought hard for what he believed in is admirable and courageous, that he gave all his remaining energy to his family and to the environment is what makes him more than an icon, it made him real—to me.

I met Ted when he was well into his decline as a human, but ascending as a spirit of what’s possible for humankind. A steward of billions he was, but greater than that he was a shepherd for all species, asking for us to be aware, peaceful, and aiming for harmony on this precious rock we call our home.

I’ve seen the outcome of his greatest efforts, conservation, and peace, and spent time amongst the balanced land he once only hoped to wrestle away from a plagued past. I hope I translate just an atom of that energy and those experiences in my daily life into positive change for someone else. That would be a life well lived. And Ted’s life, well it was more than that, it was about the finest life I could imagine.

Keep your eyes out for his legacy as it’s still growing in the trees beside you, the clean air you breathe and the water that guides salmon and trout through the wilderness. It will echo through the land longer than we, an invisible force started by the man who said “Save Everything.”

We are grateful for the opportunity to help tell a story connected to that legacy — one rooted in restoration, stewardship, and hope for the future.Thank you for continuing to be part of this journey with us.