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
New Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council Holds Inaugural Meeting
Armed with $2 million in legislative appropriations to help bring more of the state’s high-value working farm and ranch lands under long term conservation protection, the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council held its inaugural meeting under the...
Will Dripping Springs sewage expansion foul Onion Creek?
From his rolling Hill Country spread, Wes Pitts can watch changes in gray-green Onion Creek as it riffles by. This is the same creek that twice in 2015 flooded poor neighborhoods in Southeast Austin, but here, miles upstream, on a windy, dry late January day, it wends...
State Senate hopefuls sound off on issues
Six Republican candidates vying for the Texas Senate District 24 seat of retiring Sen. Troy Fraser attended a candidate forum recently at the Hill Country University Center. Ross Ramsey, executive editor of the Texas Tribune, moderated a two-hour forum in which...
Interregional Water Piping to Supply Thirsty Regions Debated in Statehouse
Texas House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources debated the long-term ability of water rich rural regions to supply the thirsty growth of municipalities. Growing Texas metroplexes will continue to advocate for Interregional water supply pipelines to...
Waters of the United States and the Clean Waters Act: New EPA Rules
There has been considerable interest in the Hill Country about the EPA’s new Waters of the US (WOTUS) rules clarifications. The debate revolves around the EPA including more waterways into its jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act than it traditionally has. (We...
Sewage Spill in the Llano River
Ironically, a few days before the Texas Stream Team training at Texas Tech Junction, members of the Llano River Watershed Alliance hiking just downstream of the junction of the North and South Llano Rivers, observed pools of algae-covered water along the Llano River...