Bamberger Ranch Preserve

What Bamberger Ranch Preserve does

Bamberger Ranch Preserve, operating under the DBA "Selah," is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit nature preserve and educational organization located on 5,500 acres in Blanco County, Texas (Johnson City). Founded as a nonprofit in 2002 by J. David and Margaret Bamberger after decades of habitat restoration work that began with a 1969 land purchase, the organization teaches land stewardship by example through public tours, landowner workshops, school programs, and research partnerships. Core programs include 4-hour public tours ($30/person), 8-hour landowner workshops ($200/person), state-certified K-12 day and overnight programs ($15/person with a $350 group minimum), and a research program anchored at the 2018 Margaret Bamberger Research and Education Center.

The underlying asset is the restored landscape itself: a 5,500-acre working ranch that the Bambergers converted from degraded Ashe juniper-dominated land into a functioning Hill Country ecosystem with seven water features, eleven cased springs, 221 documented bird species, 350+ preserved plant specimens, and a herd of endangered Scimitar Horned Oryx maintained under a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. Notable technical and facility assets include the Chiroptorium (the world's first and largest artificial bat cave, completed in 1998 with Dr. Gary McCracken), 50+ years of comparative restoration data, and embedded scientific advisory relationships with Texas A&M's Rangeland Ecology Department and SMU's Institute for Earth and Man.

The business model is a hybrid of earned program revenue (tours, workshops, school fees, premium events such as the $150 Dinner and Bat Emergence experience) and philanthropic support (donations, IRA QCDs, donor-advised funds, foundation grants, planned giving). Go-to-market is event- and community-driven: a public calendar drives ticketed visits, school bookings are handled through a dedicated Education Program Manager, landowner workshops are positioned as a Central Texas go-to resource, and research collaborations are coordinated by a Research Coordinator. The organization runs on approximately five paid full-time staff under Executive Director April Sansom, with four staff living on-site.

Name

Bamberger Ranch Preserve

Legal name

Bamberger Ranch Preserve

Website

https://bambergerranch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve is a 5,500-acre Texas Hill Country nonprofit that teaches land stewardship through public tours, landowner workshops, state-certified K-12 school programs, and biodiversity research on a 50-year habitat restoration project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Education and Land Stewardship Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• Land stewardship training
• Habitat restoration demonstration
• Nature preserve tours
• Conservation nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations fund the collective vision toward a more sustainably-managed world. The organization accepts IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), grants from donor advised funds (DAFs), and planned giving. FEIN: 30-0041245.
2. Workshop and Event Fees: Revenue from land stewardship workshops ($200), public tours ($30), bat emergence events ($20-$150), and other educational events. Workshops are 8 hours in length.
3. School Program Fees: Day trips for school children are generally $15 per person including adults and teachers, with a $350 minimum. Overnight programs priced based on lodging requirements, staff time, and participation.
4. Agricultural Practices: Hunting program generates economic incentives for private landowners. The ranch uses managed hunting to maintain wildlife populations and ecosystem balance.
5. Foundation Grants: The 501(c)3 status enables the organization to apply for foundation grants and accept charitable contributions to support operations and build endowment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bamberger Ranch Preserve is a 5,500-acre 501(c)(3) nonprofit nature preserve in Blanco County, Texas that delivers on-site environmental education, habitat restoration demonstration, and biodiversity research through public tours, landowner workshops, school field trip programs, and collaborative research projects. Programs are delivered directly on the restored ranch using unique facilities including the Chiroptorium bat cave, the Margaret Bamberger Research and Education Center, and demonstrable 50+ years of land stewardship results.

Product overview

Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve is a 5,500-acre nonprofit nature preserve and educational organization in Blanco County, Texas. The organization operates as a single unified offering centered on land stewardship education, habitat restoration demonstration, and biodiversity research. Its portfolio consists of four interconnected programs: Public Tours showcasing 50+ years of habitat restoration results; Landowner and Specialty Workshops providing hands-on land stewardship training; School Educational Programs offering state-certified science curriculum-aligned experiences for K-12 students; and Research Programs facilitated through the Margaret Bamberger Research and Education Center. Visitors can also participate in specialized experiences including the Fall Colors Hike, Bat Emergence experiences, and the Dinner and Bat Emergence premium event. The preserve is certified by the Texas State Board of Education (#500471) and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Tours
• Landowner Workshops
• Specialty Workshops
• School Educational Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Springs returned that had been absent for decades, with major spring producing 3 gallons per minute (4,320 gallons/day)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dr. Gary McCracken (University of Tennessee)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Dr. McCracken, a nationally recognized bat biologist, assisted with the construction of the Chiroptorium (man-made bat cave) completed in 1998. He leads scientific research on the Chiroptorium every summer and assists with educational programs.
• World Wildlife FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with World Wildlife Fund to save the Scimitar Horned Oryx from extinction. Bamberger Ranch Preserve dedicated 600 acres to breeding and raising the species. At one time, Selah had the largest herd of Scimitar Horned Oryx in the world.
• Texas Natural History MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFauna voucher specimens housed in the Texas Natural History Museum, as well as the growing insect collection located on the ranch.
• Douglass King Seed CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly grass reseedings at Selah were provided by Douglass King Seed company in San Antonio, a supplier of native seeds.
• Native American Seed CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended seed supplier with experts who can provide seeds by soil type or eco-region type for land restoration projects.
• Texas A&M University - Rangeland Ecology DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Fred Smeins, department chair of Rangeland Ecology Department at Texas A&M University, serves as Scientific Advisor. He advises both the board and staff on rangeland management issues and is considered one of the state's experts in rangeland ecology and biodiversity.
• Southern Methodist University - Institute for Earth and MancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Louis Jacobs, internationally renowned paleontologist and president of Institute for Earth and Man at SMU, serves as Scientific Advisor. The ranch is rich with Cretaceous period fossils and dinosaur tracks, and geology is a major component to educational activities.
• Texas Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Jeff Francell serves as director of real estate for Texas Nature Conservancy. The ranch has worked extensively with The Nature Conservancy, including Steven Fulton's former position as a biologist mapping Black-capped Vireo habitat and serving as Oak Wilt Specialist.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch on burn site reclamation conducted at the CL Browning Ranch in Johnson City with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center provides recommendations for repairing areas after brush pile burning.
• Texas Youth Hunting ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation Program Manager Kayla Krueger was introduced to the ranch through volunteering with the Texas Youth Hunting Program, which provides hunting education and outdoor experiences for youth.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bamberger-ranch-preserve

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bamberger Ranch Preserve