Our Work
Land
HCA’s Land Program seeks to increase private land stewardship and permanent land conservation across the Hill Country, and works with regional land trusts to educate owners about conservation easements, track conservation metrics, and consider conservation priorities.
Water
HCA’s Water Program assists grassroots groups that champion water stewardship in their communities, advocates for policies that protect groundwater and surface water, and promotes resilient water supplies through the advancement of One Water projects.
Night Sky
HCA’s Night Skies Program helps Hill Country counties and cities minimize the impacts of light pollution through education and outreach, the establishment of outdoor lighting policies, and the recognition and celebration of certified Dark Sky Places in our region.
Communities
HCA’s Communities Program builds connections across county lines, supporting rural leaders in protecting the unique character of their communities while promoting innovative approaches to building healthy, vibrant communities throughout the Texas Hill Country.
The Latest
7.7 million young people are unemployed. We need a new ‘Tree Army.’
Nearly 7.7 million American workers younger than 30 are now unemployed and three million dropped out of the labor force in the past month. Combined that’s nearly one in three young workers, by far the highest rate since the country started tracking unemployment by age...
‘Black Birders Week’ promotes diversity and takes on racism in the outdoors
“We all have this shared experience where we have to worry about going into the field,” says Earyn McGee, a herpetology Ph.D. student at the University of Arizona and Black Birders Week co-organizer. Prejudice might drive police or private property owners to be...
One Water – Blue Hole primary school
While COVID-19 dominates headlines in 2020, groundwater protection efforts in the Texas Hill Country are set to realize a tremendous success story when the first One Water school in Texas officially opens its doors for classes this fall! Blue Hole Primary School will...
Water access must be part of our COVID recovery
Wash your hands, save lives — it's a central message during the COVID-19 crisis. But what if you don't have basic running water, as we assume everyone does? Incredibly, too many Americans don't... Our recovery from COVID-19 must include a sincere investment in fixing...
NASA-SpaceX launches will boost science research on the space station
When NASA astronaut Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor arrived on the International Space Station for her six-month stay in June 2018, she was in awe of the vast array of science experiments on board. Before they launch, astronauts are only trained on about 20% of the...
Across Texas, diverse wetlands are benefiting Texans — and facing threats
“Historically, some people thought of wetlands like nasty places we need to fill in or useless land,” he said. “But really, they're among the most productive and valuable ecosystem in terms of the goods and services they provide to humans.” Nicknamed the kidneys of...