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

2012 Water Planning News

December 17, 2012 Behind the scary water headlines It’s hard to look at any media in Texas today without being confronted by a dire outlook on the state’s water future. The jarring effects of a deep drought and the steep price tag attached to the state’s water plan...

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2012 Water Conservation News

December 9, 2012 Water Conservation Matters – even with no drought What Mike says to San Angelo can apply throughout the Hill Country, “If San Angelo and the region are to continue to survive and prosper economically and if Texas is to be sustainable with its limited...

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2012 Rainwater News

December 9, 2012 Water Conservation Matters – even with no drought What Mike says to San Angelo can apply throughout the Hill Country, “If San Angelo and the region are to continue to survive and prosper economically and if Texas is to be sustainable with its limited...

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2012 Groundwater News

December 12, 2012 In Central Texas, a rush to secure water rights Amid a persistent drought that has rattled Texans about water supplies, cities and investors are jockeying to purchase millions of gallons of underground water and pipe it to rapidly growing...

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A fiscal conservative’s manifesto against sprawl

"But, while my concern with sprawling growth patterns was rooted in their effect on the landscape, on the environment, and on severely compromised populations left behind, Chuck is all about the money. As Thoughts on Building Strong Towns makes quite clear, Chuck...

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August 2012 News Archive

August 28, 2012 Hill Country River and Stream Angler Survey Underway Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division is partnering with Texas Tech University’s Department of Biological Sciences and the TTU Llano River Field Station to conduct a...

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