Every time we climb the lookout point tower at John Knox Ranch, a summer camp and retreat center operated by Mission Presbytery, the view seems to include at least one new house. The vista surrounding John Knox Ranch has transformed over the past six years from mostly rural ranches to crops of new houses and collections of RVs. This increased development poses a significant threat to wildlife habitat, water resources and much-needed green spaces in our area of the Texas Hill Country. Land values, which are linked to development potential, are increasing, which makes selling off pieces of John Knox Ranch property more attractive. Each week, we receive at least one letter with an offer to buy a portion of our land. Two years ago, we rejected a written offer to purchase the entire camp.
One of the reasons the presbytery turned down these offers is that we believe, in our bones, that church camps play a significant role in faith development for young people. We need “thin places” where we feel closer to God, places set apart from daily life. We need the intentional community of camp set in the beauty of God’s creation. In a recent survey, Jacob Sorenson’s team at Sacred Playgrounds connected with over 24,000 campers and 9,000 camper parents at Christian camps around the country. Consistently, more campers agree that “Being in nature helps me feel closer to God” after camp. This tells us that a loving Christian community and a natural setting create opportunities for spiritual growth. Places like John Knox Ranch matter.
And to keep John Knox Ranch around for this generation and the next and the next, we needed to consider our future. How do we protect the camp, and the nature around it, in a way that allows us to generate funding for the future? With this in mind, the leadership of Mission Presbytery decided to pursue a creative solution.
After six years of research and hard work, John Knox Ranch completed a conservation easement in December of 2024, protecting 255 acres of the 300-acre summer camp and retreat center. A conservation easement conserves natural land forever while realizing some of the monetary value of that land now. In exchange for committing to never subdivide or develop a significant portion of the John Knox Ranch property, John Knox Ranch received substantial funds that county, state, and federal legislature designated for land conservation, as well as grants from private foundations and donations from individuals.
This money will enable us to look to our future through long-range planning, site upgrades, and setting up an endowment. The easement will protect the property’s water and wildlife resources, and John Knox Ranch will continue to operate as it has since 1962.
We selected Hill Country Conservancy as our land trust partner. Their role includes holding us accountable over time to follow the agreement, helping to identify funding opportunities for setting up the easement, and providing resources and planning to help enact habitat conservation and restoration.
Speaking about our conservation easement agreement, Hill Country Conservancy’s Chief Conservation Officer Frank Davis said, “[John Knox Ranch’s land] is incredibly sensitive and unique, as evidenced by the incredible water resources and diverse and rare species found throughout the property. More than that, many thousands of kids [and grown-ups] have cherished experiences at John Knox Ranch – and a connection to nature that they will never forget. It is wonderful to know that this place will continue to support the water and wildlife of the Texas Hill Country and instill wonder in the hearts of people for many generations to come.”
John Knox Ranch is our home camp. We grew up attending this camp and moved through various summer jobs. We met and fell in love as camp counselors and have long considered John Knox Ranch our favorite place on Earth. We have been part of the John Knox family for over 30 years, moving from having fun and growing in faith as campers to serving the ministry and seeing the impact on others. We are profoundly grateful to get to work on a project that will outlive us and ensure that John Knox Ranch is here to serve generations to come.
Thanks to the effort by so many people on this conservation easement, John Knox Ranch campers past, present and future, will always be able to come back to these sacred lands where they met God at summer camp or at a retreat.
Over 60 years ago, leaders in Mission Presbytery had the foresight to purchase this land for camp and retreat ministry. Now, we stand on their shoulders and grasp a vision of permanent protection for this sacred ground as well as financial protection for camp ministry to benefit generations to come. A conservation easement is a perfect fit for our site, program, and long-term goals. It is an example of conservation that is a true win-win for all involved.
We need God’s creation. We need time in nature to connect with the divine. We need to protect and conserve our lands and be good stewards of the amazing gift of God’s beautiful creation.
