Selah: Water from Stone

50 years ago, David Bamberger intentionally bought the worst piece of land he could find in Texas and spent decades restoring it. He worked with mother nature, rather than against her, to bring the 5,500 acres of degraded land on Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve back to life. Not a drop of water was present, despite digging for 7 water wells that were 500 feet deep. After discovering a dry cavern, he planted grasses throughout the limestone-filled land to soak up rainwater. Rainfall percolates into the earth via the root system and replenishes underground aquifers. Once they’re full, they create springs on the surface, which supplies water to all of nature’s critters, including humans. Two and half years after planting the grasses, the first spring came to life. Now eleven springs are flourishing across the ranch preserve.

As one individual who has left an incredible sustainable legacy, Bamberger believes that the single greatest conservation tool is grass. He gave his ranch the name ‘Selah’, meaning to stop, to pause, to look around and to reflect on everything you see. This thinking helped him transform the ranch from a degraded landscape to a thriving and biodiverse ecosystem. As the steward of the land, he embodies this thinking as he continues to take care of it and share it with others. He also believes we can all contribute, one step at a time, no matter how small our backyard.