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
Zebra mussels spotted in Lady Bird Lake; Lake Austin now ‘infested’
Zebra mussels have been spotted in Lady Bird Lake, and Texas wildlife officials now consider Lake Austin to be “infested” with the invasive species. Lady Bird Lake was upgraded to “suspect” status because mussels or their larvae have been found at least once after the...
Latino Rights Group, SAWS File Update in Long-Running Water Case
A national Latino rights advocacy group and San Antonio’s water utility submitted a filing this week in a long-quiet federal court case concerning whether Latinos are adequately represented in the entity that manages the Edwards Aquifer. It’s been six years since...
March Director’s Notes
Supporters and Friends, Spring is the perfect time to see the Texas Hill Country in all its glory! The warmer weather brings with it the beginning of many days spent swimming in our spring-fed rivers and streams. During this time of year, I am reminded why the Hill...
Burnet workhop provides landowners with information on conservation easements
The Hill Country Conservancy and the Hill Country Alliance are joining forces to host a landowner workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2018, at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office, 607 N. Vandeveer, Burnet, TX 78611. This workshop will focus...
US National Park Rangers Look to the Stars with Skywatching Training Program
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has partnered with the McDonald Observatoryto create training programs for park rangers and improve skywatching events. The observatory, which is run by the University of Texas at Austin, will offer two workshops for national park...
Pioneers Taking on “Dark Sky” Project
In Mason, the students of the Pioneers Youth Leadership program have taken on Dark Sky Preservation as a focus for sharpening their leadership skills in their community. Working with their teacher Megan Bierschwale, Hill Country Alliance (HCA) Night Sky Program...
Coke, Nestle Near Ownership of World’s Second Largest Aquifer
A concerted push is underway in South America that could see one of the world’s largest reserves of fresh water soon fall into the hands of transnational corporations such as Coca-Cola and Nestle. According to reports, talks to privatize the Guarani Aquifer – a vast...
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