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
At Davis Mountains Preserve, explore a ‘sky island’
“You don’t need an understanding of biodiversity or ecosystems to be struck by how unique the Davis Mountains are when you drive into them,” says Laura Huffman, State Director of the Nature Conservancy in Texas. A few years after the purchase of that first...
Western cities try to cut light pollution
The next best chance for Westerners to see shooting stars is coming soon, between April 16 and 25, when the Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest known, will streak across the sky after midnight. In May the Eta Aquariids arrive, followed by the Delta Aquariids in...
Texas Tribune Q&A with HCA’s Katherine Romans
HCA Executive Director, Katherine Romans, discusses water issues facing our region in this week's Trib+Water Q&A. "The Hill Country is really a region of extremes, where it goes from serious droughts to catastrophic flooding in an incredibly short period of time....
South Llano River State Park earns dark sky status
Looking for darkness, shooting stars and comets? Head to South Llano River State Park, which just became the third state park in Texas – along with Copper Breaks State Park and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area – with International Dark-Sky Park status. South Llano...
Proactive Stakeholder Collaboration Aims To Benefit Freshwater Mussels in Texas
Freshwater mussels may lack charisma, as they look like nothing more than rocks. But that belies the natural wonders of their life-history and their incredibly important role in the ecology of streams and the people and economies that rely on the same water. Work...
What is the Future of Water in Texas?
LISTEN: State Representative Lyle Larson from San Antonio joins Robert Puente, President and CEO of San Antonio Water System; Blair Calvert Fitzsimons, CEO of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust; and Meredith Miller, Senior Programs Coordinator for The Meadows Center...