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
Women landowner, wildlife stewardship conference set Oct. 3-4
Women landowner numbers are growing. Simultaneously, interest in wildlife operations is increasing. An upcoming two-day conference will bring the two together in the Edwards Plateau region. “Women in Wildlife Conservation – Resources to Set a Stewardship Path,” hosted...
RIP Lone Star Rail
After months of fighting for its relevancy with politicians, bureaucrats and drivers on I-35, Lone Star Rail has passed away. It was 13. Throughout its lifetime, Lone Star Rail showed glimmers of promise, tantalizing Texans from San Antonio to Austin with the prospect...
How Micro-Flora & Fauna Contribute To Water Quality
They may be small, but micro flora and fauna play a significant role in the ecosystem of Texas waterways. At the Texas Water Symposium on Thursday, September 1 in Kerrville, a panel of educators, researchers and ecologists shared their insights on the impact of human...
Cook: The lure and challenge of the Texas Hill Country
Our Texas Hill Country lifestyle: dark quiet night skies filled with stars, the privacy afforded by having some space between you and your neighbors, less worry about crime and air pollution, and just a slower pace all the way around. These are some of the reasons...
HCA Director’s Notes: September 2016
The first two months of my official tenure as Executive Director at HCA have gone by in a blur. The outpouring of support from you—our readers, partners, media and friends—means so much to all of us at HCA. It is your work, care and contribution that make everything...
Texas experiences wettest August in 100 years
If you think August was a wet month in Texas, pick up your prize. Preliminary totals indicate that August averaged about 5.69 inches of rain statewide, in a tie with 1914 for the wettest August on record, according to figures from the State Climatologist office at...