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
Kyle officials find temporary fix for failing wastewater plant
Kyle officials said Tuesday that they’ve come up with fixes for the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which experienced a mechanical failure Sunday morning. City staff will install a temporary pump system at the malfunctioning plant this afternoon that will mimic the...
Wastewater plant issue could lead to partially treated effluent in Plum Creek
Kyle city officials are scrambling to rectify an issue at the city’s wastewater treatment plant that, if left unfixed, could release up to one million gallons per day of partially treated effluent into Plum Creek. The issue took place Sunday when the center well...
Six oil operators, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation form partnership
Partnerships and joint ventures are nothing new among Permian Basin oil operators, but a new partnership just announced takes a unique approach. Six companies with significant operations in the Permian Basin – Anadarko Petroleum, Chevron, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary XTO...
David Yeates: The Massive Urban-Rural Imbalance in Texas
Anyone who has heard me speak publicly on natural resource conservation in Texas knows that I invariably bring the discussion around to the enormous urban/rural imbalance that we find ourselves in here in our great state. Texas is a private property state, given our...
Humans at fault for many nuisance species spoiling state’s environment
We should have our hands slapped over some of the things we’ve done in this state by letting plants and animals run wild. Think about it: We now have tens of thousands, probably more, of exotics — axis deer, black bucks, fallows, oryx, etc. — throughout the Hill...
Our nights are brighter, and brighter
Of course, our night skies are more washed with artificial light than those of our ancestors, but apparently – despite the efforts of groups such as the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – Earth’s night skies are still getting brighter. A landmark study...