Bamberger Ranch Preserve tour

After all these years, we finally took a public tour of the 5,500-acre Bamberger Ranch Preserve. That happened last Friday. Staff members Kayla Krueger and Drew Neyland guided us on the three-hour trip. A small group of us rode aboard a covered, open-air trailer with long benches. Drew drove the pickup truck that pulled the trailer. 

Here were our pre-tour instructions: "Wear closed-toed shoes as we will have the option of walking our Nature Trail. Walking sticks or hiking poles are welcome. Feel free to bring a hat, binoculars, water, and make sure you dress for the weather as we will be outside for the duration of the tour. The event is rain or shine, with lightning being the only exception."

Below is the late J. David Bamberger's well-seen grave marker for mankind, which is where every tour starts. I remember him talking in front of it when I first met him in the early 1990s. I wrote one of the first profiles on him in the August 1993 issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.

Photo by James Hearn

Photo by James Hearn

Kayla introduced us to the "rain machine," which demonstrates how different ground covers affect rainwater run off. The machine's main purpose is to show how important native grasses are in drawing water into our aquifers. 

Beautiful Madrone Lake

Along the Nature Trail

Photo by James Hearn

Marbleseed

Kayla in a green sea of inland sea oats along the Nature Trail.

Mr. Bamberger's herd of scimitar-horned oryx, which he helped bring back from extinction. 

The Chiroptorium, Mr. Bamberger's bat cave.

Drew shares photos of bats and construction photos of the bat cave.