33 – Koch Family – 230,000 acres

Dixie cups, Brawny paper towels, Stainmaster carpet—these are a few of the consumer products produced by Koch Industries, one of the world’s largest privately held companies. Among the family’s holdings are the Matador Cattle Company in Texas and another 92,000 acres in Montana, all of which are deeded. In addition, the company leases 10,000 acres in Kansas and another 100,000-plus acres in Montana.

50 – Leo Drey – 160,000 acres

The St. Louis businessman and conservationist began collecting Missouri land in 1951. In 1954 his holdings grew considerably larger after a forester warned Drey that National Distillers was planning to clear cut thousands of acres of white oak in the Ozarks. Drey purchased those 90,000 acres and continues to buy land today.