Hill Country Alliance

09/03/2026

Getting to partner with visionary leaders—elected or not—is a major highlight of our work at the Hill Country Alliance. In August, we had the opportunity to spotlight some of the incredible, community-driven work happening across the Hill Country during our Leadership Institute meeting in Comfort.

Throughout the day, attendees heard from local leaders working to make their communities stronger and more vibrant, including community-led philanthropy with Austin Dickson of The Community Foundation, public transportation with business in Bandera through the Alamo Area Council of Governments, arts in Kerrville with Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the growing Town Maker movement working to revive Main Street in Sabinal.

We also enjoyed a delicious lunch from Central Provisions TX and had the chance to explore the neighborhood with stops at MixHaus Gallery and Hotel Giles!

A big thank you to all of our speakers and participants for showing up and inspiring us with their work. And a bonus thanks to The Ingenhuett on High for hosting us in such a beautiful space!

09/02/2026

We’re so excited to see Texas Monthly highlight the important connection between dark skies and military readiness at Camp Bullis!

Within the dark sky movement, we often focus on how light pollution affects wildlife, plants, human health, safety, and security — but few people know about its critical role in military readiness. Training at Camp Bullis ensures that the men and women of our armed forces are prepared for any scenario, day or night, making the maintenance of sky quality within and around the installation an issue of utmost importance.

We’re grateful to Texas Monthly for bringing attention to this important issue, and we’re proud of our collaboration with Joint Base San Antonio and the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape to help protect dark skies and support military readiness.

Read the full article: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/camp-bullis-san-antonio-dark-skies/

📸 U.S. Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Taylor Curry

08/27/2026

We’re just one month away from the Hill Country Leadership Summit — happening Thursday, September 24 at Sacred Oaks Hall at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs! 🌿

🎟 Limited in-person tickets remain + virtual tickets available
💻 Virtual attendees enjoy the full day of presentations, live chat during the event, and access to recordings afterward

Don’t wait — learn more and register: https://hillcountryalliance.app.neoncrm.com/forms/2026-hill-country-leadership-summitcopied-registration

08/19/2026

One week ago, the Hill Country lost a larger-than-life character with the passing of Richard Smith. Richard was an HCA Board Member, a longtime land steward and rancher along the north fork of the Guadalupe River, a businessman, and a passionate conservationist.

He was full of stories, smiles, and laughter, and he and his family graciously opened their home and ranch to HCA for field days and overnight stays for our Hill Country Leadership Institute for many years. Richard's legacy will no doubt be carried on by his incredible family.

You can read more about Richard's life and passion in his obituary, and see a glimpse of his family's land stewardship ethic in the Lone Star Land Steward profile video created to honor them this year.
https://grimesfuneralchapels.com/obituary.php?id=27246
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4skw0OMARHE

08/16/2026

Early bird sale ends TODAY - get your tickets for the 2026 Hill Country Leadership Summit before the price increase! As always, the Summit provides an opportunity for learning, networking, and celebrating and will feature presentations and conversation with local leaders and regional experts. With more than a dozen speakers, it's going to a be a full day featuring faces old and new.

🎟️ Swipe to view the agenda and get tickets today at the link in our bio or at https://bit.ly/Summit26Register

08/13/2026

Last month, HCA’s board and staff gathered in Junction for our special mid-year board meeting! Getting out into the Hill Country is an important part of our work — there’s no better way to connect with one another and stay grounded in the landscapes we work to protect.

A huge thank you to Native American Seed for hosting us! We spent time connecting over dinner, followed by a paddle on the beautiful Llano River the next day. 🚣‍♂️

We’re grateful for the opportunity to meet in the communities and landscapes that make the Hill Country so special, while learning, collaborating and recharging together. 🌾

08/12/2026

Do you own or manage land in the Camp Bullis region? Join the Camp Bullis Regional Conservation Partnership Program tomorrow, August 13 from 12-1pm, for an online webinar to learn about land stewardship resources, technical assistance, and potential funding for conservation activities on eligible properties.

The Camp Bullis RCPP is voluntary and supports property-specific conservation goals related to water, soil, grazing lands, native vegetation and wildlife habitat.

Don't miss it - register today! Learn more about the RCPP, register for events, or ask whether your property is eligible at the Camp Bullis RCPP website:

QUICK LINKS → Landowner Interest Form for Land Management [https://bit.ly/CampBullisRCPP-LM] → Sign up for program updates! [https://mailchi.mp/ag/campbullis-rcpp-email] The Camp Bullis Sentine

07/30/2026

It's , and we're excited to spotlight JiAnne Robinson, HCA's 2026 Kent Butler Student Intern! 👏

JiAnne is pursuing dual master's degrees in Community and Regional Planning and Sustainable Design at The University of Texas at Austin. With a background spanning academic research, local government, and industrial environmental compliance, she believes effective environmental management requires integrating science, planning, policy, and industry operations to address environmental challenges.

Outside of work and school, JiAnne enjoys spending time in the sun near bodies of water, photography, trying new foods, decorating, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

We're so happy to have you on the HCA team, JiAnne!

A special thank you to the Kent Butler Student Internship Program — a partnership between HCA and The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture — for helping cultivate the next generation of conservation leaders.

07/29/2026

Two consecutive years of flooding have reshaped rivers across the Texas Hill Country — but they've also reinforced the importance of restoring healthy riparian areas.

In a recent interview with KXAN News, HCA Executive Director Katherine Romans and Jeremy Walther of the Kerr County River Foundation discussed how native grasses, shrubs, and trees help stabilize riverbanks, reduce erosion, and protect our waterways during future floods.

One of the most encouraging takeaways came from visiting restoration sites after this year's floods. While some plantings were lost, many native grasses and trees survived — showing that restoration efforts are already making a difference.

Watch the interview: https://youtu.be/G3MDXbw6VtY?si=YpaoRcKqEcixBHoW"https://youtu.be/G3MDXbw6VtY?si=To5Y8eEbnVGsY7Xw

After a second year of devastating, major flooding, the Hill Countr...

07/29/2026

🐣 Early bird tickets are on sale now for the 2026 Hill Country Leadership Summit: Small Choices, Big Changes!

Join us on Thursday, September 24, at The Sacred Oaks Hall at Camp Lucy. Attend in person or online to learn from each other in a day full of insightful discussions and informative panels. All attendees will also receive access to the full Summit recording after the event.

Early bird pricing ends August 16 — learn more & get your tickets https://bit.ly/Summit26Register

📸 Photo courtesy Stephanie Saldivar