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
Fahrenheit 140 – Texas Climate Predictions and Potty Training Cows
What weather extremes can Texans expect to see into 2036? How can we prepare for the intensifying natural disasters that Texas is experiencing? Hosts Robert Mace and Carrie Thompson talk with Texas State Climatologist Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon to get the answers to...
talk+water: Kyle Garmany
Texas+Water Editor-in-Chief Dr. Todd Votteler interviews Kyle Garmany, Water and Agriculture Program Director for the Texas chapter of the Nature Conservancy. In his role at the Nature Conservancy, Garmany is responsible for developing innovative strategies to...
Watershed Association Purchases 74 acres of Dry Cypress for Recharge Protection
The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) finalized the purchase of 74 acres adjacent to the Colemans Canyon Preserve on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. This purchase secures critical recharge area for the Middle Trinity Aquifer and is within the catchment area...
Lyndon B. Johnson National Park dubbed International Dark Sky Park
The Lyndon B. Johnson National Park, a historical park and ranch in Texas, received praise for its stunning Hill Country night skies by earning an International Dark Sky Park certification. The award recognizes the exceptional quality of the park's night skies and...
Out of excuses; Secure Hill Country’s fragile water
Here’s something we don’t get to say very often: It’s been a promising month for water in the Hill Country. With record sprawl pushing ever westward from I-35 and climate change threatening an age of Texan megadroughts, the water future of the Hill Country has looked...
New evidence COVID-19 is widespread in deer
A new study has found high rates of SARS CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) exposure and active infection among white-tailed deer tested across Iowa. Previously, antibodies detected in deer suggested exposure to the virus, but this is the first confirmation of...