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
Rally to save the trees of Oak Hill, this Saturday
Oak Hill, Austin, TX: More than two hundred great oak trees stand to be damaged or lost if TxDOT moves ahead with the Oak Hill Parkway project as currently designed. An independent tree survey by Oak Hill resident Gerry Powell has documented and photographed 288 oak...
New study maps Earth’s hidden groundwater for the first time
A new study has, for the first time, estimated the total volume of groundwater present on the Earth. The results show that we're using up the water supply quicker than it can be naturally replaced, while future research will seek to determine exactly how long it will...
Austin Water Proposing permanent once-per-week watering restrictions
"Building on lessons learned during the drought, Austin Water is proposing to move to a permanent once-per-week watering schedule. Watering restrictions are our biggest water savings measure and the one-day-per-week restrictions, along with positive community...
Is the Vista Ridge Groundwater Reliable? Who’s calling for it?
Thursday the San Antonio City Council will vote on a new SAWS rate structure being proposed in part to pay for Vista Ridge. “The controversial Vista Ridge water pipeline, if completed, will pump 50,000 acre-feet/year of Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer groundwater from a well...
America’s $900 Million Parks Problem
At the end of September, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has supported the creation and maintenance of greenways, trails and other outdoor spaces across the U.S. since its inception in the ’60s, expired. LWCF helps along everything from national parks to...
Registration NOW OPEN for the 2016 Texas Land Conservation Conference
The Texas Land Trust Council is excited to celebrate a milestone, the 20th Anniversary of the Texas Land Trust Conference is set for March 2 – 4, 2016 in Austin. This is an excellent program for everyone interested in land and water conservation in Texas, personally...