News & Updates
Texas matters: the state of climate change denial
Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, the sea is rising, animal ranges have shifted and there are more intense heart waves. Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for...
Test results show significant declines in blue-green algae toxicity in Lake Travis
New test results from Lake Travis indicate a significant decline in the toxicity of blue-green algae, and for the first time since the spring, only trace amounts of the toxins were present, according to a June 22 update from the Lower Colorado River Authority. Algae...
Texas leaders made a big mistake ignoring water this session. But not all hope is lost.
Last weekend I paddled on the Blanco River with my family. We swam in spring-fed swimming holes, fly fished and lounged in shallow sections of the river, which was flowing nicely thanks to recent rains that ended drought conditions across Texas. Read more from Vanessa...
Hill Country Alliance Limited Edition Design – Meet the Artist: Olivia Gray
The Hill Country Alliance is proud to announce the release of a limited edition Hill Country creation, designed by local artist Olivia Gray. Olivia Gray resides in Wimberley and is a junior at Southwestern University in Georgetown. She is working on a double major in...
The Florida Wildlife Corridor is nearly 18 million acres of natural wonder. The state just took a significant step to keep it alive
Wedged between Florida's two coasts are some of the richest ecosystems in the US, teeming with native wildlife that prefers to be hidden from human view. The animals' natural lives for the most part remain a secret to Floridians. To catch glimpses of them in the wild,...
Study warns Texas must address future of groundwater policy
Long-term water security is essential for the future of Texas, and the state acutely needs a common law system that can balance world-scale agricultural activity, industrial development and urban growth while also protecting private property rights, according to new...
Reboot: The Texas Land Trends Data Explorer
In Texas, rural lands define our state’s identity. Whether it be for the agricultural products produced, natural resources and wildlife habitat maintained, or expanses of wide-open spaces left untouched for their intrinsic beauty, our state’s undeveloped acreage plays...
Design of portion of Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail underway in New Braunfels
New Braunfels City Council approved an agreement with San Antonio-based civil engineering firm Bain Medina Bain, Inc. during the June 14 council meeting for the final design of a portion of the Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail. The agreement allows for an...
Behold the splendid and fragile beauty of the Hill Country’s keystone river
From April through October, I swim in the Blanco. It is one of the greatest pleasures I know. It’s a pleasure I share with growing crowds of both locals and visitors who converge on the river’s cypress-lined banks at places like Blanco State Park in Blanco; Blue Hole...