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
Does the Colorado River Have Rights? A Lawsuit Seeks to Declare It a Person
Does a river — or a plant, or a forest — have rights? This is the essential question in what attorneys are calling a first-of-its-kind federal lawsuit, in which a Denver lawyer and a far-left environmental group are asking a judge to recognize the Colorado River as a...
Texas is a surprising national leader in water conservation
In her 2013 book, Big, Hot Cheap and Right, journalist Erica Greider observes that Texas is an idiosyncratic place that regularly surprises. The state is famous as the capital of the U.S. oil industry and for a pugnacious hostility to regulation and environmental...
Five large cities invest in upstream conservation to improve water quality for their residents
Since 2007, urban areas have been home to more than half the global population—a proportion that is expected to rise. Growing cities are putting pressure on the lakes and rivers on which they depend for water. But the needs of nature don't have to be in conflict with...
Ruben Becerra ‘seriously considering’ running for Hays County judge seat
A former mayoral candidate and active citizen in San Marcos said he is “seriously considering” running for Hays County Judge Bert Cobb’s seat as a Democrat in 2018. “After speaking with leaders from the Democratic Party countywide and prominent Republicans in our...
After dog dies, officials investigating water near Canyon Lake Dam
A warning for anyone planning to spend time at the Guadalupe River near Canyon Lake: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says that the water south of the Canyon Lake Dam could be hazardous to your health. A warning sign is up asking people to not swim or let animals...
San Marcos City Council votes to apply for $4.4 million loan for preservation of Edwards Aquifer land
San Marcos City Council on Tuesday voted to apply for a $4.4 million loan from the Texas Water Development Board to preserve an undeveloped stretch of land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. Mayor John Thomaides was the only dissenting vote, arguing that he did...