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
Nirenberg: City Reviewing ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Impervious Cover Policies
The convergence of dialogue, data, and disaster have sparked a more serious look at regulations that impact water management and development in San Antonio, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Monday. Revisions to the City’s impervious cover policies will likely add to the...
Ahead of the curve
Hill Country stakeholders proactively create Upper Llano River Watershed Protection Plan. Composed of the North and South Llano rivers, the Upper Llano River is known as a Hill Country treasure. Its near-pristine flows provide a healthy ecosystem supporting a variety...
Reforestation Experts Help Restore a Wild Blanco River
Each week, Ina Alexatos drives throughout Wimberley in a Subaru Forester with the words Trees for the Blanco printed across the side. She visits riverside landowners one by one to consult them on letting their banks go wild. She then stakes orange flags to mark where...
Flood Models Show Olmos Dam Would Overflow in Harvey-like Storm
A direct hit by a hurricane of Harvey’s magnitude would cause catastrophic flooding that would flow over the Olmos Dam and emergency spillway by four feet and inundate portions of U.S. Highway 281 for approximately 12 days, according to models released by the San...
McDonald Observatory works with energy companies to stop light pollution
The McDonald Observatory, often called the “Crown Jewel of the University of Texas,” monitors the night sky in the Davis Mountains. On a clear night, the entire Milky Way is visible from the observatory’s telescopes and the naked eye. However, the stars at night have...
Festival Brings Together Good Things to Know and Fun Things to Do
The Hill Country Alliance brings its eighth annual Rainwater Revival + Hill Country Living Festival to the Dripping Springs Ranch Park on Saturday, November 4. The Festival is a combination of fun things to do, like live music, wine tasting, food trailers, tiny...