Hill Country Alliance

Utopia - Comet NEOWISE viewing with Hill Country Nature Center and Texas Ranchland Nightsky Tours
2020-07-25 20:30 - 23:00 (America/Chicago)

Online - Fighting Fire with Fire Workshop
2020-07-27 09:00 - 12:30 | Online
Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be delivering an FREE online workshop on Monday, July 27, 2020 at 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM CST showcasing research findings from Dr. Urs Kreuter’s Joint Fire Science Program project:
“Fighting Wildfire with Prescribed Burning in the Southern Great Plains: Social and Regulatory Barriers and Facilitators.”
Results will be given by graduate students and collaborators on the project, followed by a Q&A discussion with all speakers and participants.
Please register at: https://agrilife.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L1zHHnoDRZCze-PRKf74yw. The link is also available at: https://agrilife.org/westtexasrangelands/
All registered participants will be sent a USB drive featuring materials from the speakers, including science briefs of the different components of the project.

Online - Payments for Ecosystem Services Webinar with NCAT ATTRA
2020-07-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
In this webinar NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Colin Mitchell will guide you through the history of payments for ecosystem service programs and discuss different types of payments farmers and ranchers can receive for improving or maintaining ecosystem services, including: Direct Payments, Certification Programs, Tax Incentives, and Ecosystem Service Markets. Colin will also provide a set of factors farmers and ranchers should consider before participating in any type of payment for an ecosystem service program.
Click here to learn more from the NCAT ATTRA: Sustainable Agriculture website.
Click here to register.

Online - Landscape CPR Workshop with AgriLife Water University
2020-07-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Online
This class is FREE will be LIVE on our Facebook page AgriLife Water University. NO LINKS TO CLICK and NO NEED TO REGISTER.
Does your landscape need a lifeline? Do you have problem areas where nothing seems to grow? Whether you’re dealing with pests and disease, issues with too little sunlight, or problematic soils that are keeping your plants brown and crispy, this class will get to the root of your horticultural headaches AND help you learn the skills to bring new life to your garden. We’ll also prescribe tips on how to hire a landscape or irrigation professional to give you a helping hand and revive even the most disheartening of Texas landscapes.
Our staff horticulturalist and water resource professionals will be online taking and answering your questions.
Click here to watch the virtual class on Facebook Live online for free!

Online - Flora in Western Art: A Brief History with Botanical Research Institute of Texas
2020-08-01 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Humans have always been drawn to plants, and the history of art is full of depictions of vegetation of all types. Join art historian Erin Starr White in this spirited exploration of art whose subject includes flowers, stems, leaves, and trees. Did we mention flowers? Artists from the Western artistic tradition will be our focus, from Raphael to O’Keeffe, and beyond.
Instructor: Erin Starr White is an art historian, curator, environmentalist, and gardener. She serves as Community Education Manager for BRIT / FWBG and brings over a decade of experience as a museum educator to her role. Erin is passionate about working with adult learners, having led the docent corps at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. She has served on the UTA Fort Worth Gallery Advisory Committee and written extensively about art of all types.
Saturday, August 1, 2020 (10 – 11:30 am)
Registration Deadline: July 30
$18/$15 member
Location: This is an online class; you will receive an email the day prior to class with the Zoom class code and password.

Online - Payments for Ecosystem Services Part II: Carbon Markets and Credit Stacking with NCAT ATTRA: Sustainable Agriculture
2020-08-06 11:45 - 12:45 | Online
This webinar, hosted by NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Colin Mitchell, will feature presentations by two experts, Debbie Reed and Jim Blackburn, who are currently working on projects to advance soil carbon sequestration carbon markets and ecosystem services credit stacking programs for farmers and ranchers. A question-and-answer session will be provided following the presentations.
Jim Blackburn is a professor of environmental law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University. Jim will be highlighting the efforts of a working group he is co-leading through Rice University’s Baker Institute that is seeking to establish a new national verification standard for soil carbon sequestration. Jim will also discuss other projects he is working on focused on carbon sequestration and community resiliency.
Debbie Reed is the Executive Director of the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC). Debbie will be presenting information on the ESMC, a member-based organization launching a national scale ecosystem service market for agriculture to recognize and reward farmers and ranchers for their environmental services to society. ESMC members represent the spectrum of the agricultural sector supply chain with whom the ESMC is scaling sustainable agricultural sector outcomes, including increased soil carbon, reduced net greenhouse gases (GHG), and improved water quality and water use conservation. This webinar is the second part of a three-part webinar focused on payments for ecosystem services.
This webinar series is part of a project in collaboration with Dr. Barbara Bellows of the Texas Institute of Applied Environmental Resources and is funded by Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Rainwater Harvesting and Turfgrass Management Workshop for Cypress Creek Watershed (Blanco and Hays Counties) with Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Project
2020-08-06 13:00 - 17:00 | Online
The Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host an online training on residential rainwater harvesting and turfgrass management on Aug. 6 for residents of Hays and Blanco counties.
The free training will be from 1–5 p.m. Participation is limited, and online registration is required.
Attendees can RSVP online or contact John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station, at johnwsmith@tamu.edu or 979-204-0573. Those who RSVP to the event will receive updates, instructions to join the online meeting and materials related to the meeting via email.
The training is offered in collaboration with the Cypress Creek Watershed Partnership.
Learn more from AgriLife Today here.
Attendees can submit a free soil test by picking up and then dropping off their soil sample bag and information sheet to the AgriLife Extension offices in Blanco County, 101 E. Cypress, Ste. 109, Johnson City or Hays County, 200 Stillwater Road, Wimberley prior to or by one week after the meeting.
Click here to register.

Online - Generation Next: Our Turn to Ranch - Online School for New Landowners with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
2020-08-17 | Online
Generation Next: Our Turn to Ranch curriculum is perfect for new landowners or those who are looking to start a new agricultural operation on an existing ranch. This 12-week, on-line course walks through important steps for developing a business plan including business types, tax implications, insurance needs, financial record keeping, setting up grazing and wildlife leases, understanding livestock markets, land management and more!
Each week will take approximately 1.5 hrs to complete the lesson and apply it to your situation. A new topic is opened up each week, so YOU choose the time during that week that works best for you to complete the lesson. Topics are covered by professionals in each field of study. A Generation Next certificate and t-shirt will be given upon completion of the course.
Click here to learn more and register.

San Antonio - Summer Nights at the San Antonio Botanical Garden
2020-08-20 08:00 - 17:00 | San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, San Antonio, TX, 78209, United States
Back by popular demand! The return of Summer Nights invites you to get outdoors this summer and enjoy extended Thursday night hours at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. This 38-acre urban oasis is the perfect place to physically distance, get some fresh air and connect with nature. Beginning July 2, from 6 – 9 p.m., Summer Nights will feature cash bar and picnic baskets prepared by Jason Dady Catering, gourmet shaved ice by Kona Ice, music, and beautiful bloom displays. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Visitors are welcomed to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Included with general admission. Free for members.

Guests are asked to follow all COVID-19 visitor guidelines during their visit at the Botanical Garden.
Click here to learn more and purchase tickets online.

Online - Upper San Marcos River Watershed Protection Plan - Stakeholder Meeting
2020-08-25 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
Please RSVP [no cost] to receive information on how to join the meeting via Zoom. Instructions will also be sent out 1 day before the meeting, so be on the lookout for an email!
Topics to be discussed:

Watershed Water Quality Monitoring Overview by Dr. Sandra Arismendez, Water Quality Monitoring Coordinator and Quality Assurance Officer
Watershed Ordinance Review by Tom Hegemier, PE – Senior Project Manager, Doucet and Associates
Implementation Phase I Contract Closeout/Recap
2021 TCEQ Request For Grant Application Review for Implementation Phase II
New TCEQ San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance and Mermaid Society Implementation Phase I

A formal agenda will be sent prior to the meeting date.
Click here to RSVP.

Online - Flaring, Venting and Methane Pollution Townhall
2020-08-25 18:30 - 20:00 | Online
Click here to register.

Online - Rainwater Harvesting with Eco Centro
2020-08-29 10:00 - 12:30 | Online
Turn water scarcity into water abundance!
Rainwater harvesting can reduce stormwater runoff, lower your water bill and keep your garden green all year long. Join us to learn more about medium to large scale rainwater harvesting for residential and commercial applications. We’ll cover water catchment basics, tanks, filtration, pumps, codes, water budgeting, potential catchment volume calculations and designing water harvesting plans specific to our region.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Holistic Land Planning: Grazing Infrastructure & Strategies for Success - Scholarship Deadline
2020-09-01 | Online
Learn ranch and farm infrastructure planning principles and practices to move your vision of your property into reality. Come away with a plan that suits your lifestyle and accommodates changes and challenges.
This comprehensive approach will help you explore key infrastructure options, the timing and sequence of your infrastructure build out, and result in a step by step plan to achieve your property vision.
Participants will evaluate management and infrastructure considerations and alternatives with the guidance and support of HMI Professional Certified Educator Larry Dyer.
Learn more and register here.
Dates: September 8 – September 29, 2020
Time: Live at 5:30-7:00PM MDT (also recorded for later viewing)
Scholarship Deadline: September 1, 2020
Registration Deadline: September 7, 2020
Instructor: Holistic Management Certified Educator, Larry Dyer

Wimberley - Wednesday Night Wheels
2020-09-02 18:00 - 20:00, 2020-09-09 18:00 - 20:00, 2020-09-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Blue Hole Regional Park, 100 Blue Hole Ln., Wimberley, TX, 78676, United States
All wheels are welcome at Wednesday Night Wheels! Starting in September, join us every Wednesday night from 6 PM to 8 PM at Blue Hole Regional Park. Bring your skates, ramps, boards, bikes, rails, and rollerblades and dominate the roads while they are closed to vehicles.
For touchless check-in please click the ticket button to register for FREE and sign the necessary waivers!
Click here to learn more and register.

Online – Holistic Land Planning: Grazing Infrastructure & Strategies for Success – Registration Deadline
2020-09-07 | Online

Online – Holistic Land Planning: Grazing Infrastructure & Strategies for Success – Four-week Class
2020-09-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Online

Stonewall - Seed Stomp at the LBJ State Park and Historic Site
2020-09-20 10:00 - 15:00 | LBJ National Historical Park, 100 Ladybird Lane, Johnson City, TX, 78636, United States
Celebrate the life and legacy of Lady Bird Johnson by planting wildflower seeds with us at LBJ State Park! We provide the seeds, you do the stompin’! Learn about flowers, help us reseed our fields, and buy some wildflower seeds in the park store to take home! We will have arts & crafts activities for kids available! But the fun doesn’t end there…. Be sure to come back in the Spring to see the blooms you helped create! Event will occur at Park Headquarters.
Learn more on the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/591982924914922/

Hill Country Alliance Virtual Leadership Summit - Day 1
2020-09-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Online
The Hill Country Leadership Summit is the Hill Country Alliance’s premiere annual gathering, and provides an opportunity for learning, networking, and being inspired among our region’s top community leaders, conservation practitioners, and natural resource managers.
This year, the Leadership Summit is going virtual! The Summit will be spread out over the course of three days – Wednesday, Sep. 23 from 2-4PM, Thursday, Sep. 24 from 10-12PM, and Friday, Sep. 25 from 10-12PM.
The Leadership Summit is made possible through the generous contributions of our sponsors – both on a corporate and individual level. For a look at last year’s sponsorship package, click here.
Registration and pricing options coming soon! Stay tuned for more details on this year’s Leadership Summit at www.hillcountryalliance.org/LeadershipSummit

Hill Country Alliance Virtual Leadership Summit - Day 2
2020-09-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Online

Hill Country Alliance Virtual Leadership Summit - Day 3
2020-09-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Online

Online - International Observe the Moon Night
2020-09-26 | Online
International Observe the Moon Night is a time to come together with fellow Moon enthusiasts and curious people worldwide. Everyone on Earth is invited to learn about lunar science and exploration, take part in celestial observations, and honor cultural and personal connections to the Moon. Note that we encourage you to interpret “observe” broadly.
Were you planning to host an in-person event this year? Try hosting a virtual one. Registration for International Observe the Moon Night is now open. Registering as an observer or event host officially marks your participation and connects you with our community around the world. We now have registration options for individual observers, private or household participation, and public events. Let us know how and where you are celebrating so we can add you to the global map.
International Observe the Moon Night occurs annually in September or October, when the Moon is around first quarter ― a great phase for evening observing. Furthermore, a first-quarter Moon offers excellent viewing opportunities along the terminator (the line between night and day), where shadows enhance the Moon’s cratered landscape.
You can join International Observe the Moon Night from wherever you are. Attend or host a virtual or in-person event, or observe the Moon from home. Connect with fellow lunar enthusiasts around the world through our Facebook page, #ObserveTheMoon on your preferred social media platform, and join the International Observe the Moon Night Flickr group. Outdoors, at home, online, or wherever you may be, we’re glad to have you with us. However you choose to observe, please follow local guidelines on health and safety.

Online - Hill Country Land Conservation Online Workshop
2020-10-02 09:00 - 12:00
Join the Hill Country Alliance and numerous partners for an online workshop on Hill Country Land Conservation. Tune in to learn from regional experts on land stewardship tools and financial resources, conservation easements, and what to expect in terms of eminent domain and other rural landowner issues in the upcoming legislative session.
Half-day workshop includes a landowner panel and the following presentations: Land Stewardship – Steve Nelle, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Retired; Key Issues for Rural Landowners and Ranchers – Jim Bradbury, James D. Bradbury, PLLC; Tax and Financial Considerations of Conservation Easements – Margaret Menicucci and Kathryn Tancig, Braun & Gresham Attorneys at Law; and Financial Cost-Sharing Opportunities – Shane Kiefer, Plateau Land and Wildlife Management.
Registration: $10 per individual, $15 per couple
Click here to register
Co-hosted by the Hill Country Alliance, Hill Country Land Trust, and Texas Land Conservancy, with support from the Gillespie Country AgriLife Extension, Braun & Gresham, Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, and James D. Bradbury, PLLC.

Wimberley - Blue Hole Star Party
2020-10-17 19:30 - 23:00
The Wimberley Parks and Recreation Department and the Wimberley Valley Dark Sky Committee present the next Blue Hole Star Party on October 17th at 7:30pm. The event is FREE but registration is required. The Star Party will be held on the Blue Hole soccer fields. We will have appropriate social distancing measures in place and will be utilizing new technology to ensure everyone can view the wonderful Texas Night Sky. Guests are encouraged to bring a flashlight, a picnic, chairs, or a blanket.
Click here to register.

Online - Texas Water Conservation Association Virtual Fall Conference
2020-10-21 - 2020-10-23 | Online
The TWCA Fall Conference, scheduled for October 21-23, 2020, has moved online! Attendees can expect a format similar to our Summer Conference for panel and committee meetings, as well as speaker sessions. But we have also added new and improved networking and engagement features, including a virtual exhibit hall. The speaker sessions will include presentations on water infrastructure, water supply, and maintaining culture in a virtual work environment. We will also discuss legislative and agency updates and hear from some keynote speakers, who will be announced soon.
We look forward to “seeing” you there! Have any questions? Check out our FAQs.

Online - Hill Country Living FESTIVAL + Rainwater Revival
2020-10-24 | Online
Join the Hill Country Alliance and friends for the 10th anniversary celebration of our Hill Country Living FESTIVAL and Rainwater Revival! This event will be fully virtual and feature a jam-packed day of fun for folks of all ages.
Stay tuned for more details on this year’s FESTIVAL!
Learn more here.

Online - 2020 REGENERATE: Resilience in Times of Uncertainty - Conference hosted by Holistic Management International, Quivira Coalition, and the American Grassfed Association
2020-11-17 - 2020-11-20 | Online
2020 REGENERATE – Resilience in Times of Uncertainty
Our 2020 Conference is Going Virtual!
Hosted by Holistic Management International, the Quivira Coalition, and the American Grassfed Association.
Due to concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, we will present 2020 REGENERATE as a virtual event. But we won’t keep you tied to a screen for days on end…
We’re changing our schedule from four packed days to a more relaxed but equally stimulating multi-week event, which will start in early November and include shorter sessions, allowing plenty of time for in-depth conversation and learning.
Over a period of weeks, we will offer five to seven plenary sessions, a set of facilitated roundtable discussions and regional forums, technical workshops, and networking opportunities. Some of the topics to be explored include Regenerative Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change, Racial Equity in Agriculture, Financing Regenerative Agriculture, Diversifying Markets, and Indigenous Land Management, plus many more.
Attendees will be able to participate directly in the live plenary sessions and roundtable discussions or view them later as recordings to catch up when you have time.
And don’t worry if you’re not familiar with Zoom yet. We’re going to host technology training sessions ahead of time to prepare you to enjoy the conference with comfort and ease.
Save the date – more info coming soon.

Johnson City - Lights Spectacular
2020-11-27 - 2021-01-03
“The Twinkliest Town in Texas”

Celebrate Lights Spectacular’s 31st Season
Holiday lights will continue to glow in Johnson City – with a socially distanced tour of “The Twinkliest Town in Texas” -boasting over two million twinkling lights in our historic square off Main Street.

Face Coverings and Social Distancing Required.
Blanco County and Johnson City request that all guests are respectful of Covid-19 protocols both locally and by the State of Texas. Gatherings of over 10 people will not be permitted.
Unfortunately this year we are unable to host our annual Lighted Hooves & Wheels Parade and Opening Weekend festivities, including fireworks.
Santa won’t be joining us this year. He’s in quarantine at the North Pole. But don’t worry, the elves are immune to Covid-19 so they will be delivering your presents.
Learn more here

Online - Strategic Water Vision 2021 - Virtual Stakeholder Working Group Session with Hays Trinity GCD
2020-12-02 17:30
The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (the District) invites you to participate in the second virtual stakeholder working group session planned as part of the Strategic Water Vision 2021 effort, scheduled for December 2, 2020.
The District held the first round of stakeholder working group sessions in November. If you were unable to attend those meetings, a copy of the presented technical information, stakeholder survey results, and notes from the first round of meetings are available for review on the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District website: haysgroundwater.com, and select “Strategic Water Vision 2021” on the left side.
Objective for Round 2 of Stakeholder Working Group:
The purpose of the second stakeholder working group session will be to summarize key takeaways from the stakeholder engagement process thus far, discuss ongoing efforts of the District, review District funding mechanisms, and discuss plans for the District moving forward. We hope to collect additional stakeholder input to further the conversation on water management mechanisms that can be used for future efforts to conserve and protect the limited groundwater resources.
Virtual Meeting Details*
December 2, 2020
5:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
*meeting link/access details will be sent once an RSVP is received*
RSVP REQUESTED:
PLEASE RSVP to, Lauren Canales, at haystrinitygcd.swv2021@gmail.com or by phone at 512-636-7754 for the virtual meeting and include any access or communication needs you have at this time. She will send you a link for the meeting with information on the meeting format and an agenda.
If you have any general questions or concerns regarding the Strategic Water Vision 2021 effort, please respond to this email and/or contact Charlie Flatten, General Manager, Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District at (512) 858-9253 or by email at gm@haysgroundwater.com.
