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
Conservation easement program preserves ranches for local water quality and nature benefits
Gary Puryear said he did not know much about nature conservation when he inherited his father’s 423-acre ranch near Hamilton Pool Road in Western Travis County. Members of his family had owned and lived on the working ranch since 1880, and Puryear said the emotion of...
Tempers flare at pipeline meetings
At two meetings last week about the proposed Kinder Morgan 42-inch natural gas pipeline project, landowners expressed displeasure with the routing of the giant project through land that, in some cases, stretches back generations. A landowner meeting was held Tuesday,...
Defenders: Thousands of Texas wastewater treatment plants dump into waterways
AUSTIN, Texas — As part of Boomtown 2040 we are looking into growth and the impact it has on the places we call home. One of the biggest concerns about our area's growth is water. The KVUE Defenders discovered a growing number of cities are dumping treated wastewater...
Senate passes a sweeping land conservation bill
The Senate on Tuesday passed a sweeping public lands conservation bill, designating more than one million acres of wilderness for environmental protection and permanently reauthorizing a federal program to pay for conservation measures. The Senate voted 92 to 8 in...
Wimberley group fighting to keep pipeline out of Hill Country
The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association is currently working to oppose and reroute the Permian Highway Gas & Oil Pipeline OUT of the Texas Hill Country and away from the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers. WVWA will be hosting a fundraiser event and kick off for...
Dripping Springs City Council approves resolution to support Hill Country Scenic Highways Bill
One week after Hays County Commissions voted to support House Bill 1303, Dripping Springs City Council on Feb. 19 followed suit, passing a resolution of support of their own. House Bill 1303 would restrict the presence of billboards along certain roads in Hays County....