One Of China’s Richest Men, Jack Ma, Bought 28,000 Acres Of U.S. Wilderness And Turned It Into A Wildlife Sanctuary

When billionaires make headlines, it’s usually for snapping up tech companies, launching themselves into space, or buying yet another penthouse with an ego-sized view. But every so often, someone takes a different path—quieter, greener, and a little more unexpected.

One of the world’s most recognizable tech tycoons, a man who helped reshape global commerce from a modest apartment in China, recently made a $23 million purchase in the heart of America. But it wasn’t a startup, a sports team, or a social media platform. It was something far more timeless.

This is the story of how a Chinese billionaire ended up deep in the woods of upstate New York—and what he plans to do with nearly 28,000 acres of rivers, mountains, and untamed wilderness might just surprise you.

Who Is Jack Ma?

Before he was buying up chunks of pristine American wilderness, Jack Ma was better known as the quirky, unshakably optimistic face of one of the most powerful companies on the planet: Alibaba.

A former English teacher with no background in tech, Ma founded Alibaba from his tiny apartment in Hangzhou in 1999. At the time, he barely knew how to code—but what he lacked in technical skills, he made up for in charisma, vision, and an uncanny ability to rally people around big ideas. Fast-forward a couple decades, and Alibaba is a global e-commerce titan often compared to Amazon, with a valuation that once topped $230 billion.

But Jack Ma is more than just another rich guy with a company. He’s something of an enigma.

To his fans, he’s the embodiment of the Chinese dream—scrappy, self-made, wildly unconventional. He once told an IPO crowd that his hero was Forrest Gump, and if that didn’t make eyebrows rise, his on-stage antics surely did. We’re talking full glam rock getups, complete with wigs and sunglasses, serenading employees at company anniversaries. He’s also known for organizing mass wedding ceremonies for hundreds of Alibaba staff, often officiating in grand, theatrical fashion.

That blend of eccentricity and emotional intelligence has earned him a cult-like following, especially among young entrepreneurs. But beneath the flamboyant stage persona is a man increasingly preoccupied with the state of the planet.

In recent years, Ma has redirected more of his energy—and his billions—toward philanthropy, education, and environmental conservation. He’s a board member of The Nature Conservancy and has helped establish massive charitable trusts worth billions. His company, Alibaba, allocates a portion of its revenue to environmental projects, and he’s publicly spoken about our shared responsibility to safeguard the planet.

The Property: Brandon Park

Picture this: 28,100 acres of thick forest, misty mountaintops, and trout-filled streams stretching across the northern wilds of New York State. That’s Brandon Park—a name that sounds like a modest neighborhood but is, in fact, a sprawling wilderness estate large enough to make a national park blush.

Tucked away in the Adirondack Mountains, Brandon Park isn’t just scenic—it’s storied. This remote sanctuary was once part of a vast nature preserve owned by William A. Rockefeller Jr., brother of the world’s first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller. The land has passed through the hands of American aristocracy—Du Ponts, Rockefellers, and reclusive heiresses—before catching the eye of a certain Chinese entrepreneur with a conservationist’s heart and a frequent flier’s jet.

But what exactly did Jack Ma get for his $23 million?

• Nine miles of the Saint Regis River, meandering through forest and rock, home to some of the most celebrated brook trout fishing in the eastern United States.
• Eleven spring-fed trout ponds, perfect for fishing, reflecting, or both.
• A 2,200-foot mountain, towering quietly over a landscape that hasn’t changed much in a hundred years.

• Forty miles of private roads, winding through woods that seem tailor-made for thoughtful walks—or discreet escapes.
• Nearly twenty structures, from cozy guest cabins to a rustic 1940s log lodge that whispers old-money charm.
• A maple syrup operation, producing the sort of artisanal nectar that would make any brunch influencer swoon.

Beyond the breathtaking scenery and fishing bragging rights, the property is wrapped in environmental easements that limit commercial development. Translation? No shopping malls, no resorts, and definitely no “glamping” villages. Just wilderness, left largely the way nature—and the Rockefellers—intended.

Brandon Park is one of the last of its kind: a privately owned kingdom of forest and river that still feels like it belongs to a quieter, wilder time. And now, it’s owned by a man more often associated with stock tickers and IPOs than hiking boots and hatcheries.

Why Buy Wilderness in the U.S.?

According to his spokesperson, the purchase of Brandon Park wasn’t about profit or prestige—it was about protecting something precious. Ma has long maintained that environmental degradation isn’t a regional problem; it’s a global one. His words? “We all inhabit the same planet and breathe the same air, so we are dependent on each other for our collective future.” Not exactly the kind of quote you’d expect from a mogul who once danced on stage in a mohawk wig.

But dig a little deeper and the purchase begins to make sense.

Brandon Park offered Ma a rare combination of ecological value, historical prestige, and legal protection. The conservation easements already in place ensured the land couldn’t be bulldozed or overdeveloped. What he was buying wasn’t just acreage—it was an opportunity to preserve one of the last great untouched wildernesses in the eastern U.S.

It may seem odd, but it’s strategic. While Ma has long been involved in land conservation efforts in China, this marked his first foray into international ecological investment. Think of it not just as a personal retreat, but as a statement: nature doesn’t recognize borders, and neither should our commitment to protecting it.

There’s also the practical angle. Brandon Park is just a short drive from the Adirondack Regional Airport, whose 6,500-foot runway is conveniently equipped to handle private jets—including, say, a Gulfstream 550, which Jack Ma is reportedly fond of flying.

So yes, there’s access. There’s prestige. But more than anything, there’s purpose.

In buying Brandon Park, Ma wasn’t just escaping the noise of the business world—he was stepping into a legacy of conservation, one that stretches from Gilded Age magnates to modern-day eco-stewards. Whether this move was driven by personal evolution, philanthropic ambition, or a bit of both, one thing is clear: this is not your average real estate deal.

A Legacy of Conservation

Long before Brandon Park entered the picture, Ma had begun building a reputation as one of China’s most high-profile voices for ecological responsibility. In 2010, well before sustainability became a trendy buzzword in boardrooms, Alibaba pledged to channel a percentage of its annual revenue—about 0.3%—into environmental causes. That’s roughly $36 million a year at the time, dedicated to conservation, clean energy, and climate-related initiatives. Not exactly small change. But Ma’s personal commitment goes even further.

He sits on the board of The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s leading environmental nonprofits. His foundation has poured resources into land preservation, marine protection, and ecological education projects across China. And in the run-up to Alibaba’s record-breaking IPO, Ma helped establish charitable trusts worth nearly $3 billion, much of it earmarked for philanthropic and environmental work. His philosophy is disarmingly simple: We don’t own nature—we borrow it from our children.

In that spirit, Brandon Park becomes more than a trophy property. It becomes an extension of Ma’s global conservation efforts—a foothold in the West where he can demonstrate the same values he champions at home. He reportedly plans to create a nonprofit entity to manage the land, ensuring that its forests, rivers, and wildlife will be protected for generations.

That continuity—linking the legacy of American conservationists like the Rockefellers with a new wave of global environmental stewardship—gives the story of Brandon Park a certain poetic symmetry. What began as a private retreat for America’s wealthiest industrialists is now in the hands of one of Asia’s most influential tech leaders, not for exploitation, but for preservation. It’s not about fences and fortunes anymore. It’s about stewardship.

Turning Brandon Park into a Wildlife Sanctuary

When Jack Ma took ownership of Brandon Park, he didn’t just inherit a postcard-worthy wilderness—he inherited a responsibility. And by all indications, he’s treating it not like a luxury escape, but like a living, breathing ecosystem in need of careful protection.

His vision? Less luxury lodge, more wildlife sanctuary.

Though the term may conjure images of safari jeeps and informational signs, in Ma’s case, it’s more about quiet guardianship. The land is already protected by conservation easements—legal agreements that limit commercial development and prevent the sort of ecological damage that too often comes with profit-driven land use. But Ma appears ready to go further.

What does this transformation look like in practice?

• Halting harmful practices: One of Ma’s first moves was reportedly to stop existing logging operations on the property. While sustainable timber harvesting is allowed under the easement, Ma seems more inclined toward preservation than extraction.
• Creating a nonprofit manager: Plans are in motion to place the land under the care of a nonprofit entity, ensuring it won’t fall victim to speculative resale or overdevelopment. This would effectively institutionalize his conservation goals beyond his own lifetime.

• Maintaining ecological integrity: The property’s existing fish hatchery, which breeds heritage brook trout, may be supported or expanded under Ma’s ownership. Combined with the rivers, ponds, and forest ecosystems already thriving there, Brandon Park could become a small-scale model of successful private conservation.
• Limited human footprint: Although the property includes around 20 buildings, there are no plans for resort development or commercial tourism. Only nine additional homes can be legally constructed under the easement—yet there’s no indication Ma plans to build even that many.
• Cultural and environmental continuity: By preserving the land in its natural state, Ma is continuing a tradition that dates back over a century. Brandon Park was always more than a rich family’s playground; it was a deliberate refuge for nature.

There’s no official signage yet declaring it a wildlife sanctuary, but the intent is clear. From its trout-filled waters to its maple-producing trees and meandering forest paths, Brandon Park is being reimagined as a living sanctuary—for wildlife, for wilderness, and perhaps even for the weary billionaire himself.

A Greener Legacy in the Making

In a world driven by speed, consumption, and short-term gains, Jack Ma’s quiet acquisition of a massive forest in upstate New York is, paradoxically, a bold move. It’s not just a headline—it’s a statement.

By turning Brandon Park into a sanctuary rather than a trophy, Ma invites us to reconsider what success looks like. Maybe it isn’t the skyscrapers we build, but the forests we preserve. Maybe legacy isn’t about how many companies we own, but how much of the planet we leave better than we found it.

You don’t need billions to follow this path. Whether it’s reducing your ecological footprint, spending more time in nature, or simply learning the names of the trees in your neighborhood, the journey toward stewardship starts with awareness—and a little bit of wonder.

After all, protecting the Earth isn’t just a billionaire’s responsibility.
It’s everyone’s.