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
Ecology and the Land Steward
All landowners are practicing ecologists, whether they realize it or not. Ecology is not about hugging trees, environmental activism or even the love of nature. Ecology is the study of the interrelationships between and among all parts of the environment. These parts...
Next stop for Texas-NM water dispute: Supreme Court
Attorneys for the states of New Mexico and Texas learned yesterday that a lawsuit over the waters of the Rio Grande will head to the U.S. Supreme Court. For New Mexico, a lot is at stake. Though Texas also named Colorado in the suit, its real target is New Mexico....
Perceptions of Groundwater Survey
The Perceptions of Groundwater Survey is supported by the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Dr. Joni Charles, an Associate Professor of Economics at Texas State University, is conducting a research study to assess public perceptions of groundwater and...
‘A Conservative Climate Solution’: Republican Group Calls for Carbon Tax
A group of Republican elder statesmen is calling for a tax on carbon emissions to fight climate change. The group, led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, with former Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Henry M. Paulson Jr., a former secretary of the...
U.S. News & World Report names Austin best place to live in U.S.
A report confirms what many already know: Austin is the best place to live in the U.S., knocking Denver from the top spot in 2017. U.S. News & World Report surveyed people nationwide to find out what they consider important in a hometown. They then took those...
Rainwater Harvesting Tax Break Bill Filed in Austin
State Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) has introduced a bill that could offer a tax break to homeowners with rainwater harvesting systems. The bill, HB 1334, allows the governing body of a taxing unit to exempt from taxation the portion of appraised value of a...