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
‘Our lakes are drying up’: Central Texas Water Coalition urges Lakeway residents to conserve
Lakeway residents were urged to conserve water during a presentation by the Central Texas Water Coalition—an organization focused on protecting the water supply in the Highland Lakes—at a City Council meeting March 18. In July, Travis County officials sent a request...
In protecting darkness, conservation finds new light
For land trusts that want to protect dark skies, the good news is this: They already do plenty to combat light pollution. By protecting undeveloped land with little human habitation, they inherently preserve darkness, at no added cost. And, when compared to problems...
Ahead of the solar eclipse, Hill Country towns are bracing for chaos
The urgency is partly because of the rarity of the phenomenon: the next total solar eclipse to be visible in continental U.S. won’t arrive until 2044. And the Hill Country may be an especially attractive destination because the region is enviably pleasant in the...
‘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...