Our Work

Oak trees sprawl out, casting shade over a yellow field of tall grass.

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.

Sunset fades over red trees and the flowing water of a rocky creek

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.

The Milky Way illuminates a brilliant blue, starry sky over a Hill Country river.

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.

A little boy in cowboy boots and a button down shirt swings a rope in the middle of a rodeo arena.

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

2013 Native Landscape News

December 10, 2013 Why prairies matter and lawns don’t As native landscapes disappear, wildlife disappears, and important ecological processes that insure outcomes such as clean drinking water, climate change buffers, and flood control also disappear. Read more from...

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2013 Local/Sustainable Agriculture News

December 19, 2013 Forget Golf Courses: Subdivisions Draw Residents With Farms When you picture a housing development in the suburbs, you might imagine golf courses, swimming pools, rows of identical houses. But now, there's a new model springing up across the country...

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2013 Land Stewardship News

February 18, 2013 Farm Bill Update: The Agriculture Act of 2014 and Conservation With the enactment of the Agriculture Act of 2014, known to most of us as the Farm Bill, landowners have more certainty about the availability of federal funds for conservation on farm...

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2013 Water Catchment News

September 23, 2013 Llano River Watershed Protection progress and water news from Junction Workgroups will tackle: Invasive Species, Riparian Protection, Water Quality, Upland Management and Water Supply issues. Learn more in the September Newsletter for the Upper...

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2013 Water Quality News

December 18, 2013 The Examiner speaks of direct discharge as a Hill Country “Land Heist.” “Terrell Graham and his wife’s family have owned their ranch in the Texas Hill Country for over 100 years. It’s remained a working farm and cattle ranch, and now Texas state...

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2013 Water Planning News

  December 5, 2013 A new path forward for TWDB On Sept. 1, 2013, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) began serving the citizens of Texas under a new management structure with three full-time Board members. Between that time and the successful passage of...

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