JO Ranch
Teresa Ohlrich Johnson’s love for the land near New Braunfels that has been in her family for generations runs deep. Her ancestors were among the German settlers who traveled with Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels on a journey to settle immigrants in the heart of Texas in 1845. Owning land in Germany was all but impossible for anyone other than royalty, and the yearning for their own piece of land was a driving force for most immigrants in seeking a new life in the rough and tumble Texas of the mid-1800s.
Five generations of Teresa’s family have lived on the land her ancestors settled, but in recent decades, the land has been divided among different factions of the family, and tracts of the original land holding have been sold off. Teresa and her husband Rob Johnson purchased the land where they have lived since 1998 from her father so it would remain in the family. Their four children grew up a pasture away from their grandparents and enjoyed an idyllic childhood.
Along the way, the Johnsons have watched the explosive growth of Central Texas all around them. Where there were once sprawling ranches as far as the eye could see, now there are subdivisions all around and the legacy of the land settled by German settlers is disappearing.
Teresa and Rob want to ensure that never happens to the land they’ve stewarded for their family. That’s why they’ve put 123 acres of the JO Ranch under a conservation easement held by the Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT).
“What I’ve observed is that dividing land all too often divides a family,” said Teresa. “I don’t want to create unnecessary friction in the family because we own land. Rob and I have decided that we are going to make those decisions, and we’ve talked about it with our children. This conservation easement will protect this land, and our family legacy forever.”
The property has extensive rolling terrain that has great vistas of the Texas Hill Country in one of the fastest growing areas of the state. According to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, land values over the past few years have increased more than 400 percent. Were the JO Ranch to be sold to a developer, more than 600 homes could be accommodated. Now, because of the easement, that will never happen.
Over the last two decades, Rob has overseen extensive habitat management activities, including clearing hundreds of cedar trees. The habitat restoration has allowed for the growth of native grasses that enhances water retention in the soil, land that lies over the Edwards and Trinity aquifers, the drinking source for millions. The cedar-clearing efforts have also yielded some surprises.
“We had several areas of the ranch covered with 30 to 40-foot cedar trees, and we knew we might find some oak trees underneath,” said Rob. “We cleared one area and uncovered a huge oak tree that Teresa had never seen, and she’s been on this land all her life. It’s probably several hundred years old, and it was fighting for its life. Now it’s healthy and thriving.”
Rob and Teresa are actively involved in preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the community where they have raised their children. In 2015, Rob worked with local stakeholders on the creation of the Comal Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and has served as a County-appointed board member since its inception. Teresa currently serves on the Comal County Historical Commission. Both Rob and Teresa are actively involved with the Sophienburg Museum of New Braunfels which is dedicated to preserving the history of their community.
The Johnsons are confident their children will thrive in their lives and careers and are hopeful that the decision to protect their land forever and the heritage of their small piece of family history will be appreciated by future generations.
“We’ve tried to raise them to understand who they are, and what kind of peoplethey came from — strong, determined, hardworking people. I hope they see this decision as a gift for their children and grandchildren to come.”
All photos taken by Wyman Meinzer.