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
Flood resilience means thinking upstream, Texas A&M professor tells US Senate committee
Texas A&M University at Galveston Professor Sam Brody testified in a recent U.S. Senate hearing on reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), urging the committee to not only reauthorize the program, but expand it using existing sources,...
Water and power need to look forward, not backward
As I sipped coffee and poked through the news early Monday morning, I saw the warning from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT): prepare for rolling blackouts. It wasn’t unexpected. Temperatures have been breaking records left and right across Texas, with...
Travis County commissioners taking a closer look at water supply
Leaders around Central Texas say we need to take water conservation more seriously before it's too late. Now Travis County commissioners are taking a closer look at the area's water supplies. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is responsible for providing a...
Families worry about health, water if proposed rock-crushing operation becomes neighbor
The air was thick as the sun was setting. The temperature had dropped just a little by Monday evening, but it didn’t do much to help with the sweltering heat. It didn’t faze the more than 70 homeowners, who live along or near County Road 284 in Williamson County, and...
Texas is drying up. We better protect our groundwater.
It is obvious to any Texan that we are in a horrific drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 80% of Texas has been facing drought conditions most of the year. Extreme or worse drought now covers 51% of the state. The drought is hurting water...
Don’t go with the flow
Do areas on your property look like this—sparse vegetation and very little topsoil? Hill County soils are notoriously thin. At one time, this spot likely had lots more soil and vegetation. What happened? Hard to tell exactly, but it’s likely due to a combination of...