The mission of the Hill Country Alliance is to bring together a diverse coalition of partners to preserve the open spaces, starry night skies, clean and abundant waters, and unique character of the Texas Hill Country.
Community Resilience
As our region reacts to ongoing challenges, the Hill Country Alliance is working to keep you connected.
Our Work
Land
The Texas Hill Country region covers over 11 million acres in 17 counties of mostly privately held land.
Water
Thirteen Texas rivers begin in the Hill Country and provide water for millions of downstream neighbors.
Night Sky
The Hill Country sits on the edge of night and as development pushes westward, we are losing our view of the night sky.
Community
90% of Hill Country lands are in unincorporated areas where there is little authority to plan for growth.
Collaboration
HCA serves as the backbone organization and fiscal sponsor of the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network.
Latest News
Texas Legislature 101: Understanding the state government and how it passes laws
The first time Shera Eichler entered the Texas Capitol to work as a legislative aide in 2002, she was nervous. She didn’t have much experience at the Capitol, apart from a visit through a school field trip. But she was quickly promoted about a month later to chief of...
An ode to Texas’s disappearing swimming holes
I lived through the golden age of Texas swimming holes. Having spent my youth submerged in chlorinated pools in and around Fort Worth, I moved to Austin in 1973 and discovered Hippie Hollow before it was a county park and Barton Creek before a mining executive...
South Texas rancher profile: Native American Seed Company — Taking Texas back to her roots
Bill Neiman has performed as keynote speaker at over 100 events for like-minded naturalist people around the state of Texas. His topic is his passion — sustainable native grass prairies, clean rivers, rainwater harvesting, and harnessing the energy of the sun for the...
Opinion: It’s time for a water session at the Legislature
There are now over 30 million Texans. The state crossed that landmark in mid-2022, gaining the most new residents of any state in the nation, with projections of an additional 25 million people living in Texas by 2050. All that growth is taking its toll on the state’s...
Neighbors fighting rural concert venue
A developer wants to bring a 5,000-seat concert venue to a rural, two-lane road in Dripping Springs, about an hour and a half northeast of San Antonio — but neighbors are singing a different tune. The so-far-unnamed Fitzhugh Road concert venue started making waves in...
Preservation vs. development: Opinions differ on the future of Hill Country
Only about 5% of the area is currently protected from development. Hill Country Alliance Executive Director Katherine Romans believes projects like this are scary propositions. The organization noted that the region has grown 50% in the past 20 years. “Currently we...
An art series honoring state parks is on exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum
An art exhibit called 'The Art of Texas State Parks' will first get shown at the Bullock Museum on Jan. 7 to April 30. It features more than 30 parks with artwork created from Texas' most celebrated artists. After these artworks are displayed in exhibition for three...
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Texas: Sign up for these Black History Month webinar events!
support.defenders.org
Join us as we celebrate and honor Black History month with a series of webinars highlighting wildlife conservation work being led by black professionals.
Seizing the Moment - Investing in Texas' water infrastructure with the State Revolving Fund
youtu.be
In November 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law resulting in $2.9 billion specifically for Texas' water infrastructure impro...
Residents in far north Bexar County fighting to protect endangered bird
www.ksat.com
A tiny bird is at the center of a growing battle over land development in far north Bexar County.
Part 2 of @Defenders #BlackHistoryMonth series is happening on Wednesday at 3PM! Barriers to Bridges: Wildlife BioDIVERSITY webinar features @KrystalMToney, Ph.D. candidate at @UNTsocial and Author of #BlackInNature.
Learn more and register here:
https://support.defenders.org/page/48303/-/1
First #ComalCounty community open house for the parks, #openspace, and natural areas master plan happens TONIGHT in #NewBraunfels. Come out to the Comal County Courthouse from 5:45-7:45 and share what you want to see in the plan! @NewBraunfelsHZ @ComalCCAlliance @HeadwatersComal
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In November 2021, #IIJA was signed into law resulting in $2.9 billion for Texas' water infrastructure improvements. Learn why your community should take advantage of this opportunity to improve water security!
Learn more @txwater: https://bit.ly/SRFInvest23
https://youtu.be/X33O-ZG10Fk