Burt's Bees Co-Founder's 87,500-Acre Maine Land Gift Becomes National Monument

Roxanne Quimby, co-founder of the natural cosmetics brand Burt's Bees, donated 87,500 acres of Maine forestland to the United States in 2016. Quimby had spent years purchasing the land using profits from the company she built alongside Burt Shavitz, driven by a deep commitment to environmental conservation. The donation faced significant opposition from local logging and industrial interests during the acquisition process. The preserved land has since been designated as a national monument, cementing Quimby's legacy as a major conservation philanthropist.