Tall Timbers began as a private hunting retreat purchased in 1895 by New York architect Edward Beadel, who fell in love with the natural beauty of Leon County. After his passing, the land was inherited by his nephew, Henry Ludlow Beadel, a passionate conservationist who expanded the property and used it for recreation and research. His will established Tall Timbers as a nature preserve dedicated to wildlife and land management research. Established in 1960, Tall Timbers has become a leading conservation organization focused on fire ecology, forestry, game bird management, and vertebrate ecology. It hosts national training programs, manages over 158,000 acres of conservation easements across Florida and Georgia, and is home to the Stoddard Lab of Ornithology, which supports critical research on native birds and wildlife.