In this month’s Director’s Notes, I’m excited to share our 2017 Annual Report with you, which highlights the Hill Country Alliance’s many achievements last year. One accomplishment we are very proud of is HCA’s commitment to our mission of bringing together an ever-expanding alliance of groups and individuals in the Texas Hill Country to protect our open spaces, water supply, water quality, and unique character.
Since the beginning, HCA has been a place where neighbors work together collaboratively to protect all that defines this special region. I believe the key to HCA’s progress in advancing this mission is through our collaborative approach. We work with a broad range of partners to share resources, set common goals, and create solutions for a better way forward for our region.
The success of HCA’s collaborative strategy shines through in the 2017 Annual Report. Among the many achievements, a few highlights include:
- 40,000 views for our Neighbor to Neighbor email newsletter.
- 17 communities involved in our Night Skies conservation work.
- 200 attendees at our Annual Leadership Summit.
- 750 Hill Country residents engaged in river restoration efforts.
We are fortunate to work with so many excellent partners who share HCA’s goals and values. I’d like to shout out two new organizations that are already accomplishing great things in our region:
- The Wimberley Valley Night Sky Committee (WVNSC):The Cities of Wimberley and Woodcreek share a vision of keeping the stars big and bright. As of early June, the Wimberley/WoodCreek area was officially named the 3rd International Dark Sky Community in Texas and the 20th International Dark Sky Community in the world!
- The Comal County Conservation Alliance (CCCA): CCCA was formed withthe goal of conserving open spaces and other natural resources in the nation’s second-fastest growing county. If you are interested in getting involved, attend CCCA’s upcoming Community Meeting on August 14 in New Braunfels. You don’t have to be a resident of Comal to appreciate its beauty and be part of the CCCA!
On another note, some of you may have noticed our website and email system was out of service at the end of June. If you feel like we haven’t replied to you, please reach out again as we may have not received your message. Thankfully, HCA is now fully back online!
Finally, please take a moment to explore what’s going on in the water world in Hays County. Our partners at TESPA, the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association, and others have been working overtime on several
proposed groundwater permits that could have huge impacts on springs, wells, and our water resources-well into the future.
Happy summer relaxation and rest,
Katherine Romans