Foundations established by Turner include the Turner Endangered Species Fund and Captain Planet Foundation. He also owns the largest private bison herd in the world.

As of 2026, the Ted Turner family (Turner Enterprises) owns the largest private herd of bison in the world. Their herd currently consists of approximately 45,000 bison spread across 14 different ranches in several U.S. states and Argentina. Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, began his conservation efforts in the 1970s with the goal of restoring the American Bison population, which had dwindled to near extinction in the late 19th century. On the public/government side, the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), which represents 80 tribes in 20 states, collectively manages a population of over 20,000 bison. The largest single "free-roaming" wild herd in a protected area is found in Yellowstone National Park, which typically fluctuates between 3,000 and 6,000 animals. The Turner herd is commercially managed for both conservation and the "Ted's Montana Grill" restaurant chain, proving that a market-based approach can significantly contribute to the resurgence of a once-endangered species across the North American Great Plains.