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
Hill Country Alliance hosting Nov. 3 workshop on management of riparian areas
The riparian areas, those slices of land alongside creeks and rivers, make up a very small percentage of the total land mass, yet they play a crucial role in the environment and land health. The problem is many landowners with creeks, or even lakes, on or bordering...
New Mexico blazing a dark sky trail
While New Mexico has long been a destination for dark sky enthusiasts, there had been no organized effort to promote dark sky tourism until the state’s Tourism Department got involved. On a visit to Capulin Volcano National Monument in the fall of 2017, staff members...
Private well water screening set for Nov. 6 in Llano
LLANO —The Texas Well Owner Network is hosting a water well screening Nov. 6 in Llano to give area residents the opportunity to have their well water screened. The screening will be from 8:30–10 a.m. Nov. 6 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for...
$76M Fredericksburg resort, conference center ready to break ground
Construction is expected to start soon on a massive project in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg. [vcex_spacing size="30px"] The Houston-based developer of The Seven Hills Resort and Conference Center said he's received all the necessary approvals to start work...
Texas’ water quality challenge and the need for better communication in an era of increasing water quality contamination events
As Texas cities experience an increase in incidents associated with water quality contamination, the need for public education and engagement increases. The discussion in this paper identifies, based on publicly available data, three of the most common incidents in...
Meeting set on Tarpley wastewater plan
Landowners near a Christian summer camp planned in the Tarpley area have scheduled an organizational meeting to examine the camp’s plans to dump 49,000 gallons a day of treated wastewater into an area creek and to decide if a more environmentally sound treatment plan...