SO3 Ranch
Gib Lewis has accomplished much in his long life. From raising a family, to building a multi-million-dollar business, to serving five terms as Speaker of the House in the Texas Legislature, Lewis has much to be proud of. Stewarding his own patch of Texas is another source of satisfaction. He’s spent the last 40 years taking care of his ranch northwest of Austin in Williamson and Burnet County.
“When we bought the ranch in 1981, it was chock full of cedar,” recalled Lewis. “For five years straight, all I did every spare minute was cut cedar. My wife joked that I wore out all my friends. But when I think back on what it was like then and what it’s like now, there’s a lot of pride in that. It’s a beautiful place.”
The 1,000-acre SO3 Ranch is in the San Gabriel River Watershed, providing protection for the North Fork of the San Gabriel River, which is a tributary of the Brazos River. The property includes native prairie and open space which provides habitat for myriad species of native wildlife. The ranch is also home to 15-20 species of exotic animals, which Lewis breeds and sells.
Lewis has been eying the fast pace of growth near Austin with some alarm, and a few years ago he reached out to his friend Blair Fitzsimons to learn how he might protect his property from future development. In July 2020, Lewis donated a conservation easement on the property to the Texas Agricultural Land Trust.
“We’re seeing so much land fragmentation out here, where 400-acre tracts are being cut up into smaller and smaller plots,” he said. “I want to do what I can to conserve this ranch for future generations of my family.”
Data from the 2017 Texas Land Trends Report confirms Lewis’ observations. Burnet County has seen a population increase of 67% from 1997 to 2017, and Williamson County has seen a whopping 133% population increase during that same timeframe. That population increase has been one factor in the decrease in agricultural working lands in both counties.
“Gib left his mark on Texas as Speaker of the House,” says CEO Emeritus Blair Fitzsimons. “With this conservation easement, he furthers that legacy by permanently protecting his cherished piece of the Texas landscape.”
Lewis says there are many benefits to a conservation easement, including tax breaks. For him, the biggest benefit is knowing the place he’s worked so hard to preserve will be around forever.
“I love spending time here, watching the birds and wildlife,” he said. “The older I get, the more I appreciate it. It’s satisfying to know that my grandchildren and great grandchildren will be able to enjoy the same piece of Texas that I have loved for most of my life.”
All photos taken by Wyman Meinzer.