Lightwood Plantation
Details & Features
The Lightwood Plantation, an award-winning tree farm, assembled and nurtured by a Colorado family nationally known for conserving land and racing thoroughbred horses, has been sold over full price after being listed for $15 million. Situated near major cities like Atlanta and Augusta, this expansive property spans 2,300 acres and was recognized as the 2019 Georgia Tree Farm of the Year. Protected by Working Forest Conservation Easements, the land features a diverse landscape, including 1,400 acres of planted pines ranging from young timber to mature quail woods, 800 acres of hardwood bottoms, a beautiful custom-built 8,400 sqft lodge overlooking an 11-acre lake, and an incredible internal road system spanning approximately 20 miles. With strategic road frontage and bordering the Oconee National Forest, the property offers easy accessibility and scenic surroundings. With its ideal location, diverse terrain, and impressive facilities, this property is a remarkable estate for those seeking a harmonious blend of nature and luxury.
History
The owner acquired the first 961 acres from an institutional timberland investor in 2001. Since then, boundaries have thoughtfully been expanded to the current 2,300 acres. With the transfer in ownership also came a change in management direction, whereby recreational values and amenities have been highlighted and groomed for decades. Lightwood Plantation remains a faithful “Working Forest” with investment returns available from the ongoing sustainable timber harvest.
Improvements
The impressive improvements include an 8,405 sqft (six-bedroom, five-full baths, one bunk area, and three half baths) custom log home overlooking an 11-acre lake. With modern amenities such as eight masonry fireplaces with gas starters, a security system, a Generac generator, and more, this lodge will have all the creature comforts of a contemporary home. Additional lakes and building sites can be found across the property. Meticulously managed quail courses lush with broom sage, a large dove field, numerous deer stands/feeders, and duck impoundments are all well-maintained and ready for the hunting season.
Water Features
Lightwood Plantation includes five ponds and one lake, totaling over 43 acres. The property also enjoys almost five miles of frontage on Little Cedar Creek and its tributaries, with diverse hardwood bottoms full of exceptional wildlife habitat.
Conservation Easements and Opportunities
Lightwood Plantation is permanently protected under several Working Forest Conservation Easements with local land trusts. Additional building envelopes allow the flexibility for housing and other improvements on ±100 acres spanning across multiple strategically located parcels.
Hunting and Wildlife
One cannot enter the gate at Lightwood Plantation without taking immediate notice of the exceptional quail woods. A view from the windows and porches of the fine lodge reveals the same view of the expansive, manicured grounds. While quail is the focus, Lightwood is also located in one of Georgia’s prime whitetail deer regions. Multiple food plots and hundreds of mature Sawtooth Oaks provide supplemental nutrition for the deer population. A giant dove field with a false power line is ready to host a large crowd when next fall season begins. Miles of Little Cedar Creek provide a critical foraging habitat for wild turkeys, while natural wetlands provide suitable duck habitat. Finally, the professionally managed lake, steps from the lodge, offers an excellent morning and evening bass fishing spot. A quick look around the lodge’s walls will reveal the natural bounty of trophies of many species produced over the years at Lightwood Plantation.
- 2019 Georgia Tree Farm of the Year
- +2,300 acres protected by Working Forest Conservation Easements
- 1,400 acres of planted pine
- 800 acres of hardwood bottoms
- Five ponds and one lake totaling 43 acres
- Dock and professionally managed bass fishery
- Multiple established quail courses and existing wild quail population
- Prime whitetail deer region of Georgia
- Custom 8,405 sqft, 6 bedroom, log home overlooking the 11-acre lake
- Equipment barns and outbuildings
Georgia
Georgia land for sale is one of the last places in the country to combine affordability, quality and availability of land, creating great value and opportunity for landowners. The state is diverse with a variety of landscapes and several distinct ecosystems including the foothills of the Appalachians in north Georgia, the Red Hills of southwest Georgia and the coastal maritime forests. The coastal timberlands, with access to fishing and hunting from the same property and the wild quail plantations of the Red Hills attracted wealthy northerners in the 1800’s looking for a therapeutic climate and bountiful recreational opportunity. These early pioneers gave rise to most of the current plantations and large managed landholdings that still exist today. In fact, southwest Georgia remains home to the largest concentration of plantation lands in the US and the coastal estuaries, tidal marshes and forests of coastal Georgia are widely recognized as one of the most unique and special ecosystems in the country.
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