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
17 Hill Country Communities Represented at Regional Dark Sky Conference in Fredericksburg
“There are more community efforts to preserve the night sky in the Hill Country than there are in any other similarly sized region on earth.” That was the message from Dr. John Barentine, Program Manager for the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), at the Hill...
Suburbs lead the way in Austin region’s growth
Austin has long been the poster child for explosive growth, but new Census Bureau data released Thursday signals that the city’s growth rate is starting to mellow out as its surrounding suburbs boom. Austin added more than 20,000 people each year from 2011 to 2015,...
State officials close to deal to expand Pedernales Falls State Park
A deal meant to protect the views in a popular Hill Country state park appears to be near completion, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials and a landowner said Thursday. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will buy, at no more than half the market rate,...
Night skies protection means economic benefits
James Murr | The Junction Eagle | Public interest continues to grow in preserving the “awe-inspiring night skies” of the Texas Hill Country. Local communities can derive significant economic benefits from visitors who come for stargazing, which is no longer possible...
From the Archives – Silent springs: is it too late to save Hill Country water?
Texas Observer (2009) In 2000, Jacob’s Well stopped flowing for the first time in recorded history. Its source sapped, Cypress Creek came to a trickle in Wimberley, and the state added it to a list of streams with impaired water quality. “I think it was a big wake-up...
UCISD students are big winners in poster contest
What started as a mere Astronomy Day poster contest turned out to be a huge event for Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District students, local stargazers and interested novices as people near and far got involved. The Uvalde County Historical Commission, Inc.,...