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
Hill Country leaders gather in Dripping Springs for 2022 Hill Country Leadership Summit – Our shared stories: Past, present, and future
On Thursday, September 29th, conservation leaders from across the Texas Hill Country met at The Hall at Jester King Brewery for the Hill Country Alliance’s annual Leadership Summit. The event theme, Our Shared Stories: Past, Present, and Future, brought together more...
Contentious Comal County quarry gets its air quality permit back
A proposed 1,500-acre limestone quarry between New Braunfels and Bulverde has secured its air quality permit from the state, leading to outrage and frustration from environmentalists and nearby residents. A three-judge panel of the Third Court of Appeals reversed a...
With midterms ahead, is water on the ballot?
With midterm elections just around the corner, Texas voters must consider immigration, abortion access and gun violence. But when prompted, many worry about water, too. Eighty-four percent of Texas voters want the Legislature to create a fund to update aging water...
Central Texas home to all 5 of state’s dark-sky communities
Central Texas lies within the main corridor of North American bird migration with flocks of aviators flying south for the winter and vice versa for the summer. But despite the innate directional awareness, some birds can get confused or harmed by lights shining in our...
Hill Country Alliance Leadership Summit provides information, knowledge, and a path forward
Last week Deborah and I attended the Hill Country Alliance’s Leadership Summit in Dripping Springs. We’ve been following the Alliance for many years and, especially in the last ten years, have come to rely on them as the source for information about the health and...
Ex-slave’s relatives battle to save farm
To Texas transportation officials, expanding U.S. 183 is a chance to alleviate congestion south of Austin. But to the Alexander family, it’s a threat to the land they’ve vowed for generations to protect. Daniel Alexander was enslaved when he secured a promise in 1847...