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.
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
‘Tourism on steroids’: Eclipse can be economic boon for Hill Country
When a rare total eclipse darkens the Texas sky on April 8, it’s expected to draw in as many as 1 million out-of-state visitors. Those visitors are expected to inject millions of dollars into the state’s economy — and a big chunk of that will be spent in the Hill...
2023 Hill Country Alliance Annual Report
In 2023, the Hill Country Alliance hosted, convened, or presented at more than 160 events and connected with a digital audience of 20,300. HCA released an unprecedented number of new tools, reports, and guides in 2023 and reached broad audiences across Texas, with...
Why Austinites should embrace a ‘summer blonde’ lawn during a drought
Spring is practically upon us, meaning it's just about time to clear out the flowerbeds and start planning the year's garden. But with increasingly unpredictable rainfall and extended droughts, it may be worth considering plants with lower water needs — especially...
Texas springs in crisis: New study highlights overwhelming increase in dry springs
New research from The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University uncovers a concerning decline in the state’s groundwater resources, finding that the number of dry springs has nearly tripled since the early 1980s. Co-authored by Robert E....
What is an aquifer? Here’s how they affect Texas’ water supply.
I’m pretty sure I learned about aquifers in a middle school classroom during a science unit on the water cycle. But, like most people, I’ve entirely forgotten what I learned or didn't pay close attention. But in the last few years, since I started covering Hays...
Unique AFCEC projects help installations stay mission ready
Several unique environmental resilience projects spearheaded by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center are helping installations maintain readiness as climate change uncertainties threaten to disrupt operations. The shoreline adjacent to Keesler Air Force Base is a part...
In Garden Ridge, residents fight a quarry’s expansion plans
As she rides down FM 2252, Lisa Swint gestures out the window to the wall of dirt, rock and debris piled high beside the road. “It’s starting to be kind of the hallmark look of Garden Ridge,” said Swint, a City Council member in the Comal County town of about 4,000...
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