Bamberger Ranch Preserve
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersJohnson City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Bamberger Ranch Preserve firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Bamberger Ranch Preserve industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Bamberger Ranch Preserve is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johnson City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bamberger Ranch Preserve business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Agricultural Practices: Hunting program generates economic incentives for private landowners. The ranch uses managed hunting to maintain wildlife populations and ecosystem balance.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Public Tours - 4-hour educational tour of the ranch |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Land Stewardship Workshop - Full day 8-hour workshop |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | School Day Trips |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Overnight School Programs |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bat Emergence Events |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Fall Colors Hike |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bamberger Ranch Preserve product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Bamberger Ranch Preserve
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bamberger Ranch Preserve technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Bamberger Ranch Preserve partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dr. Gary McCracken (University of Tennessee)coreDr. 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 FundcorePartnership 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 MuseumminorFauna voucher specimens housed in the Texas Natural History Museum, as well as the growing insect collection located on the ranch.
- Douglass King Seed CompanyminorEarly grass reseedings at Selah were provided by Douglass King Seed company in San Antonio, a supplier of native seeds.
- Native American Seed CompanyminorRecommended 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 DepartmentcoreDr. 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 MancoreDr. 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 ConservancycoreBoard 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 CenterminorResearch 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 ProgramminorEducation 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
Bamberger Ranch Preserve competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bamberger Ranch Preserve social profiles
Digital presenceBamberger Ranch Preserve financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bamberger Ranch Preserve leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Bamberger Ranch Preserve funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bamberger Ranch Preserve M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bamberger Ranch Preserve
What does Bamberger Ranch Preserve do?
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.
Is Bamberger Ranch Preserve a public or private company?
Bamberger Ranch Preserve is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Bamberger Ranch Preserve founded?
Bamberger Ranch Preserve was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bamberger Ranch Preserve based?
Bamberger Ranch Preserve is headquartered in Johnson City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bamberger Ranch Preserve make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are workshop and Event Fees, school Program Fees, agricultural Practices and foundation Grants.
Does Bamberger Ranch Preserve have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bamberger Ranch Preserve.
What industry is Bamberger Ranch Preserve in?
Bamberger Ranch Preserve's product category is Conservation Education and Land Stewardship Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAAAG, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations), with a secondary code of BPAGAGAA, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation. Its NAICS code is 712190.