We really love the Texas Hill Country. Its undulating hills, winding rivers, and natural habitat make it a place anyone would truly enjoy calling home. At Cactus Companies, we’ve known about the great work done by the Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Blanco County for a long time.

Now they have entrusted us to oversee all architectural design work for The Margaret Bamberger Research and Education Center in Johnson City.

Our company received the contract after they chose us out of four companies which bid for the contract.

“We’re extremely honored and pleased that we have an opportunity to create a state-of-the-art research and education center in the Texas Hill Country,” said Cactus Companies co-owner Grant Dean. “Our company understands the power of educational, environmental and research goals, which have been central to J. David Bamberger and his beloved late wife, Margaret.”

The center, which will be located on the preserve itself, is set to provide space for a museum-quality collection to document Selah’s biodiversity. It also will offer a classroom and laboratories for scientists to work and learn. It will house a comprehensive collection of insects gathered from Selah, along with protected and secured cages of live snakes and amphibians.

The vivarium will be complemented with a live bee hive and ant farm, which will be visibly contained in an exterior wall. Students will be active participants in collection, identification and documentation of specimens. The building itself will be a model of conservation and will feature the latest innovations in “green” design.

Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve is uniquely positioned for a project of this caliber. Many scientists believe Selah’s 5,500 protected acres is large enough to be considered a functioning ecosystem. With climatic conditions changing and surrounding urban populations growing, understanding and documenting the biological communities on the ranch and then studying them over time is of utmost importance to conservation efforts now and in the future.

This is a wonderful way for us at Cactus Companies to create something which will stand the test of time. Working with the Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve, we’ll make sure all of the necessary building requirements are met.