Tours and Workshops
Click on a tour or workshop to learn more about it.
| Date | Event | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2008 | Grass Workshop - Sorry, this workshop is full | 8:30am-4:30pm | - | Oct 18, 2008 | Water Workshop - Sorry, this workshop is full | 8:30am-4:30pm | - |
| Nov 22, 2008 | Fall Color Hike | 9:00am-12:30pm | $15/person |
**We are a private ranch and visitation is strictly by reservation. We cannot accommodate drop-in traffic. We do appreciate your desire to see us, but please make arrangements before coming to the ranch.**
NEW FOR 2008! Overnight Bird Workshop
Ranch biologist, Steven Fulton, will lead this overnight workship on the birds of Selah. More than 190 species of birds have been documented year-round at the ranch, including many endangered species. Arrive the evening of the 16th for a nice meal and overview of bird physiology and an introduction to bird calls. Night hike to find screech owls and other nocturnal critters. Lodging will be at the Center. Rise early on the 17th for a birding tour that will cover several important habitat types. Known nesting sites of the Golden-cheeked warbler and Black-capped vireo will be visited, and specific land management techniques of these areas will be discussed. Space is limited to 20 particpants, so register early.
Hill Country Land Stewardship Workshop
A day on the Ranch with emphasis on "Stewardship" for the large or small landowner or anyone considering buying land, who wants to know how to improve land for all plant and animal species. Transportation is on the Bluebonnet. This eight hour, outdoor workshop will be conducted by our experienced ranch personnel. You will look at and examine the many projects that demonstrate the principles which have been successfully used on this ranch. The subjects include:
- Cedar-management: clearing second growth cedar, selecting cedar to keep, and maintaining cleared areas free of regrowth cedar. Tools to use. Erosion control and revegetation of cleared land.
- Water: spring development and dams for water management, grasses for watershed health.
- Grasses: the least expensive and the most effective conservation tool a land owner has. How and why it works so well.
- Tree planting: because of the threat of oak wilt we don't know the future of oaks in Texas. It is important to plant a diversity of trees to provide shade and habitat for the future. Learn planting techniques and tree care. We have secrets you need to know.
- Managing land for wildlife: elements of good wildlife habitat, census taking and proper balance with domestic livestock, furnishing supplemental water and feed for deer and nongame species.
- Endangered plants and animals: there are both plants and animals whose needs should be considered. There are specific projects at Selah for propagating endangered species, as well as management of resources for visiting birds.
- Wildlife Agricultural Exemption will help you to determine your eligibility and the procedures to qualify.
8-hour workshop includes a short hike, coffee breaks and lunch. Dress for the weather.
Selah Public Ranch Tours
On this 3 1/2 hour tour of the ranch you will see the results of 37 years of habitat restoration. We will show you projects which demonstrate principles of good stewardship. You may also see dinosaur tracks, fossil beds, a herd of endangered Scimitar-horned Oryx, the "Chiroptorium" which is a man made bat cave designed to hold a million Mexican Free-tailed bats. You'll walk the nature trail and then enjoy Madrone Lake as you watch "The Rain Machine". Transportation is on the Bluebonnet, an open air trailer with a shade bonnet, so dress for the weather; and don't forget a hat!
Birding Field Day
An outdoor field day with other birders. This Field Day is offered in response to requests from guests and workshop participants at the ranch. Whether youare an experienced birder or a beginner, we would love to have you join us. This is an opportunity for those interested in learning to bird to get a start. We will have enough good birders that you will get plenty of personal attention. If you do not own binoculars, please let us know and we will try to borrow some for your use. Bring a snack and something to drink.
The weeks of April are spring migration time. We usually have some warblers and other birds that spend the winters in Central or South America traveling through this area, but we can't promise how many we'll see. Whether the birding that day is OK or fabulous will depend on the birds. Almost every year we hear and see the Black-capped Vireo, and the Golden-cheeked Warbler.
4 1/2-hour Field Day includes some hiking. Please dress for the weather.
Water Workshop
How to Get Water on Your Land Without Drilling a Well.
Good land conservation begins and ends with water.
Leroy Petri and other ranch personnel will show and explain Selah water development projects.
Visit our lakes and dams and learn about their design and function, and how they were constructed. Identify soils, and learn their potential use in dam and pond construction, and also how to identify sites on your land that can hold water when ponds are properly constructed. Inexpensive projects, some that you can do yourself, to help you develop hidden water resources:
- How to box low volume seeps and springs
- Storage and delivery of captured water.
- Catchment devices for wildlife watering that will help you qualify for the wildlife exemption and save you tax dollars.
- Grasses, an invaluable aid in good watershed management.
8-hour workshop includes some hiking, coffee breaks and lunch, dress for the weather.
Wildflowers Field Day
Spend a morning in the fields and woods around Selah identifying wildflowers. We will be traveling on the Bluebonnet as well as walking. Bring a snack and something to drink. Cameras are welcome if you wish to take pictures. Botanist and volunteer, Laura Sanchez helps Steven Fulton teach Wildflower Field Day guests the “art of appreciating” the small ones.
3.5-hour field day includes some hiking. Please dress for the weather.
Trees and Shrubs Workshop
Identification and Management
Learn how to identify trees and shrubs using the leaf form and leaf attachment
as key characteristics. It is easy to learn how to identify woody plants and
to insure that you have information to take home, you'll collect leaves in
a notebook for future reference.
Diversity of trees and shrubs is important for the health of you land and your
wildlife. Selecting the best plants for soil and range site is important.
Some additional subjects we will cover:
- What plants are good for wildlife food, and how to care for them?
- What is Oak Wilt and which oaks are the least likely to get it?
- Which trees tolerate the Hill Country soil?
- How to plant trees and shrubs.
- Ball moss-killer or nuisance?
8-hour workshop includes some hiking, coffee breaks and lunch. Dress for the weather.
Fall Self-guided Hike
Enjoy a self-guided hike around Madrone Lake and the rarely visited "Louis Bromfield Trail". This year's hike will include a native grasses interpretive walk. Cost $15, children under 7 come free.
Walk and hike at your own pace. Informational signs mark the locations of the unique and native species you will see. Take pictures, bring your families and enjoy a morning of vibrant colors seen in native grasses, Big Tooth Maples, Bald Cypress, Oaks and many more! Transportation will be available to take you from our designated parking area to our most brilliant sites of fall foliage. Maps will be available, and knowledgeable staff and docents will be on-hand to answer questions or to help take family photos! You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, and you will be returned to your vehicles at 12:30 p.m. Sign up early, spaces are limited.
Grasses Workshop
Range Management and Conservation
An outdoor workshop at Selah learning about grasses. The
importance of grasses in conservation cannot be overstated,
because they protect and build soils
as well as improve water infiltration and aquifer recharge.
Whether you have springs, a well, or simply want a variety
of healthy plants and trees growing
on your land, grasses are your ally.
We will be examining different rangesites, and ecological niches and discuss the role that grasses play in them. When you know grasses you can "read the landscape". Grasses can be the indicators of hidden seeps, springs, and deep soils.
Establishing grasses from seed, restoring damaged fields to native grasses, and improving grasslands through proper management will also be covered. How to use livestock as a management tool, and methods of controlling brush will be discussed..
We will have demonstrations, "hands-on" collecting
and identifying common grasses. A packet of information to
take home, and some additional sources
for help and information will also be provided.
Don't take grasses for granted. They are the cheapest, fastest
and best form of conservation you have for improving your
land and its quality, and your
quality of life.
8-hour workshop includes some hiking, coffee breaks and lunch.
Dress for the weather.
Group Tours - WANT TO SEE MORE?
While Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve is not open to the public on a daily basis, there are ways to visit the ranch. We have workshops, field days and public tours throughout the year (see schedule), and we can also tailor a private tour to a specific group. There are many components of the ranch available to select from for a private tour including the Rain Machine Demonstration/Nature Trail Walk, Ranching Heritage/Horse Demonstration, Dinosaur Tracks/Fossils, as well as a visit to the Scimitar Horned Oryx. One or more of the knowledgeable ranch staff guides all tours. If you have a group that is interested in visiting us, contact the ranch office for available dates and prices.
You can schedule a tour of the ranch, for your group on "The Bluebonnet",our covered trailer. We will take you to see all the tour spots offered to other visitors. The tour is available with meal service if desired for larger groups of 25 or more.
COST- $15 per person
($300 minimum)
(meal pacakge can be included for an additional $10 per person with a 20-person
minimum)
Public Bat Emergence Viewings
The Chiroptorium is ready to host public viewings of bat emergences for the summer of 2008! With infrared camera equipment from Boston University researchers, more than 114,000 bats were documented in May of 2008. June is the time when most of the mothers are giving birth to one pup each, and as we go later in to the summer, the chances of seeing the babies fly increase. Lately there have been regularly two separate emergences, each lasting approximately 10 minutes with a 30 minute break in between. We are not sure why they choose to emerge like this but it could be because of drought conditions and how far the bats must fly to find food each night. Ranch staff will be on hand to interpret the show and talk about the ecology and significance of the Mexican Free-tailed bat. Transportation will be on the Bluebonnet and space is limited to 40 adults. The emergence times will be announced when we mail you a confirmation letter and map, but plan to be at the parking area near the ranch entrance around 7:30 p.m. for check-in. Cost per person: $5.