The mission of the Hill Country Alliance is to bring together a diverse coalition of partners to preserve the open spaces, starry night skies, clean and abundant waters, and unique character of the Texas Hill Country.
Our Work
Land
The Texas Hill Country region covers over 11 million acres in 17 counties of mostly privately held land.
Water
Thirteen Texas rivers begin in the Hill Country and provide water for millions of downstream neighbors.
Night Sky
The Hill Country sits on the edge of night and as development pushes westward, we are losing our view of the night sky.
Community
90% of Hill Country lands are in unincorporated areas where there is little authority to plan for growth.
Collaboration
HCA serves as the backbone organization and fiscal sponsor of the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network.
Latest News
Director’s Notes – July 2021: Join as a Sustaining Neighbor and Receive a Special Gift!
Dear Hill Country Neighbors, It finally feels like we’re reaching the light at the end of a long tunnel. Summer in the Hill Country, particularly when fueled by abundant spring rains, is a season for slowing down—appreciating the shade of an ancient oak tree, the cold...
Turning off half of city lights at night could cut bird mortality by up to 60 percent
Like an insect attracted to a bug zapper, artificial light is harming migratory birds by throwing them off course and causing deadly collisions. Now, a new study highlights just how beneficial switching off the lights can be. The work, published in the Proceedings of...
Texas matters: the state of climate change denial
Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, the sea is rising, animal ranges have shifted and there are more intense heart waves. Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for...
Test results show significant declines in blue-green algae toxicity in Lake Travis
New test results from Lake Travis indicate a significant decline in the toxicity of blue-green algae, and for the first time since the spring, only trace amounts of the toxins were present, according to a June 22 update from the Lower Colorado River Authority. Algae...
Texas leaders made a big mistake ignoring water this session. But not all hope is lost.
Last weekend I paddled on the Blanco River with my family. We swam in spring-fed swimming holes, fly fished and lounged in shallow sections of the river, which was flowing nicely thanks to recent rains that ended drought conditions across Texas. Read more from Vanessa...
Hill Country Alliance Limited Edition Design – Meet the Artist: Olivia Gray
The Hill Country Alliance is proud to announce the release of a limited edition Hill Country creation, designed by local artist Olivia Gray. Olivia Gray resides in Wimberley and is a junior at Southwestern University in Georgetown. She is working on a double major in...
The Florida Wildlife Corridor is nearly 18 million acres of natural wonder. The state just took a significant step to keep it alive
Wedged between Florida's two coasts are some of the richest ecosystems in the US, teeming with native wildlife that prefers to be hidden from human view. The animals' natural lives for the most part remain a secret to Floridians. To catch glimpses of them in the wild,...
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