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
Your next trip? It’s written in the stars
Like watching the sunset, seeking out the Big Dipper in the night sky is a vacation ritual. But in the past five years, according to experts, the term astrotourism has evolved to describe more intentional travel to places with dark skies and more visible stars....
A spillover of growth? Boerne cave business concerned development causing caves to flood
The owner and general manager of Cascade Caverns, a cave touring business nestled at the end of a winding road east of I-10, say the caves have seen unusual flooding in recent months, and they're blaming a series of subdivisions being built nearby. Pamela Brauchle,...
Hill Country Photo Contest Winners Announced
The Texas Hill Country is a unique region filled with diverse wildlife, clear springs, sprawling rural landscapes, historic towns, and some of the starriest night skies in the country. Each year the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) holds a photo contest encouraging...
Texas deer industry to bring concerns over chronic wasting disease to Legislature
For some Texans, there’s big money in deer. Breeding and raising whitetail deer, running deer hunts on ranches, it’s all part of a multibillion-dollar industry. But since 2015, deer breeders and the state have been locked in an old-fashioned standoff. Texas Parks and...
Battle over Wimberley sewage reaches critical juncture … again
The on-again, off-again Wimberley wastewater treatment plant is off again while the City Council revisits a plan to outsource to a private utility company. Emotions are running high in the Hays County town of about 3,000, divided over an issue that’s been the subject...
Water restrictions in effect in Austin for first time in two years
Water restrictions are in effect starting Monday in Austin, the first time in two years Austin Water has cut back the number of hours residents can water their lawns. Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan have dipped below a combined 1.4 million feet of water, triggering the...