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Hill Country Alliance Press Releases
July 21, 2010
Future Water - Guest Article re: critical Hill Country groundwater decision on July 26th
Beneath many places in the Texas Hill Country, more groundwater is being pumped out than can be replaced through the water cycle. “What does a Desired Future Condition (DFC) have to do with your water?” On 26 July 2010, you can comment on this question. Read more here.
May 18, 2010
Celebrate the Stars at LBJ Ranch June 2
Enjoy an evening of star gazing and a presentation on what you can do to preserve the night skies starting 7:30 pm, Wednesday, June 2, at the LBJ Ranch. The event is hosted by Hill Country Alliance, Hill Country Land Trust and Green Living for the Hill Country. Read full release here.
May 4, 2010
Hill Country Photo Contest Closes May 31st
The Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest runs through the end of May. Winners receive not only cash prizes, but will be featured in the popular Hill Country calendar produced each fall by the Hill Country Alliance (HCA). Read full release here.
March 18, 2010
Texas Water Symposium at Schreiner March 25
The last of the 2009-10 Texas Water Symposium series will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 25, in the ballroom of the Floyd & Kathleen Cailloux Campus Activity Center at Schreiner University. Read full release here.
February 25, 2010
Hill Country Alliance receives $25,000 grant for water conservation education and advocacy
The Hill Country Alliance announces the receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Kirk Mitchell Environmental Law Fund to support the Alliance’s water conservation education advocacy. Read full release here.
February 22, 2010
2010 Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest begins March 1st
The Texas Hill Country is a photographer’s paradise. Creeks are once again flowing, and the forecast calls for a green spring with plenty of wildflowers. Now is the time to dust off your camera and head outside to capture the beauty and mystique of this special region. Read full media release here.
February 18, 2010
Water Symposium Essay Contest – Inform your schools!
Schreiner University and the Water Symposium project announce a student essay contest for elementary, middle and high school students. “Kids, Water and Science: Perspectives from our Future”. Read full release here.
February 2, 2010
Langford Selected for Inaugural Keystone Award
for Lifetime Contributions to Land and Wildlife Conservation David K. Langford is a steadfast conservationist, well-respected regionally and nationally. In recognition of his lifetime of service conserving our agricultural heritage and protecting native wildlife, wildlife habitat, and natural lands in Texas, Langford will receive the inaugural Keystone Award at a reception held at Becker Vineyards in Stonewall, Texas, from 5:00 to 7:00pm, Friday, February 26th. Read full release here.
January 7, 2010
Texas Water Symposium January 28th in Junction
Join us for the second in the 2009-10 series of discussions and forums about Texas water issues. The symposium’s topic will be “Climate Change and Impacts on Floods, Weather and Drought in Texas: What Controversy?” - Read media release here.
December 2, 2009
Hill Country Photography Exhibit opens this weekend at Cibolo Nature Center
The holidays are the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the splendor of the Hill Country region. Just northwest of San Antonio in Boerne, the Cibolo Nature Center is 100 acres of trails and wilderness waiting for you and your family to explore. This season as you visit the preserve you’ll be treated to something special. The Hill Country Alliance, a nonprofit organization in Central Texas, is placing winning photographs of its 2009 Hill Country Photography contest on display in the visitor’s center. See full media release here.
November 19, 2009
"Sustaining the Hill Country - Now and for future generations", forum Scheduled February 26th and 27th in Fredericksburg
Central Texas is all about the Hill Country — rolling vistas, dramatic bluffs, seeps and springs, and diverse wildlife. But the character of the Hill Country is changing due to explosive growth. On February 26th and 27th, 2010, the Bexar Audubon Society, Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas, the Hill Country Alliance, the Texas Wildlife Association, and the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service will focus on this challenge at the 7th Farm & Range Forum, “Sustaining the Hill Country — Now and for Future Generations.” - Details.
November 2, 2009
Texas Water Symposia
Third annual water symposium series starts Nov. 12 The first symposium in the annual series of symposia dealing with the issues of water use and conservation in Texas will be Thursday, Nov. 12 at the University of Texas-San Antonio campus. Read full media release here.
September 10, 2009
2009 Photo Contest Winners
Photographers from across the Hill Country took the theme of Hill Country Alliance’s Third Annual Photo Contest seriously: Celebrating the Treasure of the Hill Country is now possible with a look through the beautiful photographs in the 2010 Hill Country Alliance calendar. “Our desire is for this contest and the calendar to increase awareness of the need to care for the treasures of the Hill Country with regional planning and conservation,” says Christy Muse, HCA executive director. Read full media release here.
August 17, 2009
The Reality of Drought
The ongoing drought has kept water not only in the local headlines, but regionally throughout the Hill Country from San Antonio to Austin. As the drought persists, water availability, which by definition of State water planners is “the maximum amount of water available during the drought of record, regardless of whether the supply is physically or legally available”, is being reduced. Read full media release here.
August 6, 2009
Water Supply Drying Up: It's not just about the drought
Water supplies are dangerously low in the Hill Country, but Raymond Slade, hydrologist, says it’s not just because of the drought. Slade has been analyzing droughts, floods, and water quality issues for almost 40 years. He says the drought is severe, but in the last 100 years there have been three or four periods with equal or less precipitation. Slade says stream flows and spring flows are extremely low, but not near record lows. Read full media release here.
July 6, 2009
Wind Turbines and Transmission Lines carry anxiety across the Hill Country
Once you’ve visited Enchanted Rock, you never forget the scenic beauty and power of this natural wonder. What would a farm of 400-foot-tall wind turbines do to the unique vista adorned by the dome profile of this pink granite marvel? Junction is known as the “Land of the Living Waters” and is named for the rivers coming together there: the North and South Llano Rivers. The Johnson Fork Creek, that feeds into the rivers, provides amazing canoeing and kayaking experiences. Young boys fishing the creek boast about catching 50 pound catfish. How will this wild, beautiful area, change if high voltage transmission lines cross the creek in four places? Read full media release here.
June 1, 2009
Colleen Gardner new director for Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation Dist. Place 2
Hill Country Alliance board member Colleen Gardner has been appointed director of Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District Place 2. Gardner, Bamberger Ranch Preserve executive director, is well-known for conservation education at the ranch. With her business expertise and environmental resource management knowledge, Gardner brings both fiscal savvy and experience in water matters to the GCD appointment. See full release here.
David Baker new director for Hays-Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Place 4
Hill Country Alliance board member David Baker has been elected director of Hays-Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Place 4. Baker is well known for his work to protect and preserve Jacob’s Well. Serving as executive director of the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) for over 10 years, he’s raised over five million dollars for watershed protection and led the organization to preserve 55 acres of land surrounding the spring. See full release here.
May 19, 2009
Deadline for Photo Contest Draws Near
Herb Smith didn’t expect to win when he entered the 2007 Hill Country Alliance (HCA) Photo Contest. “I entered just hoping I’d get an image in the calendar,” Smith recalls. He was “very pleasantly surprised” to win the first year he entered. Smith turned around and won the 2008 contest. “The second year, I was blown away.” Download full release here.
April 7, 2009
$500 bonus added to Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest
The Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance (THCNPA) is a group of ranchers offering up their ranches to guests for nature photography and tourism. Most of the ranches have several established photography sites with food and water to attract wildlife, with one or more professionally established photo blinds carefully situated for optimal photographic opportunities. Many also offer overnight accommodations, allowing guests the chance to enjoy magnificent hill country scenery, and special encounters with critters, in privacy. For the second year, THCNPA is offering $500 prize that may be split by the HCA Photo Contest winner(s) of either category 2 - “Working the Land: gardening, agriculture, ranching, farming; or category 4 - “Natural treasures: wildlife, plants, springs, parks, rivers, special places in nature,” provided the winning photo(s) were created on one of the Alliance member properties. Read more here
March 18, 2009
Rething Growth Workshop
Hill Country Alliance Co-sponsors “Rethinking Growth” The Economic Benefits of Conservation-Based Development Austin. The Hill Country is facing critical issues that many desirable locations across the country are facing. How do we conserve the natural resources vital to our region and preserve the heritage that make the Hill Country unique while accommodating population growth in an economically viable way? Randall Arendt, a land-use planner, site designer, author, lecturer and an advocate of conservation planning, is the most sought after speaker on these topics. Arendt is presenting a one-day event to offer solutions for the critical issues that come with rapid growth. Read more here.
March 5, 2009
Final Water Symposia
Schreiner University will host the fourth and final in this year's series of symposia and forums about water issues in Texas at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 12th, in the Floyd & Kathleen Cailloux Campus Activity Center on the Schreiner campus. The topic will be "Forging Partnerships to Address Complex Water Issues in Texas: Obstacles, Perspectives and Solutions."
Read more here.
February 16, 2009
Two Hill Country Treasures on 'Most Endangered Places' List
Instead of letting Hamilton Pool become a mud hole, Hill Country Alliance board member Nell Penridge made it her mission to find a way to save Hamilton Pool. With the help of Hill Country Alliance and Hamilton Pool Road Scenic Corridor Coalition, she applied to Preservation Texas for designation. Preservation Texas then included Hamilton Pool Preserve on its 2009 Most Endangered Places List, because of devastation to the pool from major silt and erosion runoff from subdivision development upstream. Read more here.
Read the Lake Travis View's story on Hamilton Pool's placement on the list here.
February 15, 2009
2009 Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest
Celebrating the Treasures of the Hill Country
Austin (February 11, 2009) – Get your cameras ready to capture the treasures of the Hill Country. It is time to enter your best photographs in the Hill Country Alliance’s (HCA) third annual photo contest. “We hold this contest each year to help raise awareness of the beauty, heritage and the natural resources that make the Hill Country unique,” says Christy Muse, HCA executive director. “We want to encourage residents, landowners and elected officials to take care of this very special part of Texas.” The contest officially opens March 1st. Read more here.
January 20, 2009
Next Texas Water Symposium to be in Fredericksburg
The first Texas Water Symposium of the new year will be 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Admiral Nimitz Ballroom in Fredericksburg. The topic under discussion will be “History of the Rule of Capture and its Role and Status in Shaping Water Policy and Planning in Texas.” Gregory M. Ellis, attorney and executive director of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, will argue that the Rule of Capture does not grant a vested property right in groundwater and that groundwater conservation districts are the only method of preserving our aquifers; Ed McCarthy, an attorney practicing primarily in water and water-related matters, will argue that groundwater conservation districts may not confiscate private property rights. Read more here or click here to download a copy of the full release.
December 2, 2008
Hill Country Photography Exhibit opens this weekend at Westcave Preserve
Roughly 40 miles outside of Austin in Southwest Travis County, Westcave Preserve is an oasis in the Texas Hill Country. The 75-acre site lies at the meeting point of two Texas ecosystems: grasslands scattered with wildflower meadows, and a lush, sheltered canyon with towering limestone walls and a 40-foot waterfall tumbling over fern-covered travertine columns into an emerald pool. The Hill Country Alliance will place the 12 winning photographs of its 2008 Hill Country Photography contest on display at the Westcave Preserve. Read more here or click here to download the full press release with pictures.
November 10, 2008
Lighting strikes twice in Hill Country Contest
As one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, the Hill Country faces many unique problems. Each year, the Hill Country Alliance holds a contest to find the best pictures taken of the Hill Country. The alliance chose the best 12 pictures from a pool of more than 400 entrants to appear in their annual calendar and represent the alliance’s mission of regional planning, preservation and conservation. This year’s first-place winner, Herb Smith, also took home the top prize in last year’s contest.
Click here to download the full press release.
November 6, 2008
UTSA to host second Texas Water Symposium
The second in the annual series of symposia on Texas water issues will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, in Auditorium Room, number MB 0.104 on the ground floor of the Main Building at The University of Texas-San Antonio. Free parking will be available and refreshments donated by UTSA will follow the meeting.
Read more...
September 23, 2008
What do we expect the Hill Country to be like in 20 Years? Why are Texas’ Springs vanishing?
Don't miss the Texas Water Symposia this Thursday evening in Boerne.
The first of four Texas Water Symposia will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Boerne Convention Center. Texas Tech University, Schreiner University, San Antonio Public Radio and the Hill Country Alliance have teamed up to present this series of free educational public events about water issues, sustainability and the relationship between science and policy when it comes to water resource planning for future generations.
Read more...
The Latest News
Texas Completes Key Groundwater Planning Step
An intensive process to plan out the maximum depletion of aquifers over the next half-century has been completed just ahead of the Sept. 1 deadline. Read full Texas Tribune article here.
Wind transmission lines across Hill Country face holdup at Public Utility Commission
By the time the first segment of the Hill Country line came before the commission in April, the commissioners told the LCRA to go back to the drawing board on proposed routes. And now, with commission Chairman Barry Smitherman signaling his unwillingness to go forward, the commissioners appear to be on the verge of scotching the line altogether. Read full Statesman.com article here.
Endangered Historic Place” in the Hill Country
Preservation Texas has called for nominations for its annual naming of “Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places”. Nominations are due October 15th. HCA has resources and people who will help. Think about a special place that deserves help with preservation and public attention and take it upon yourself to get the ball rolling. Learn more
Riparian Landowner’s Workshops scheduled for October
Riparian areas are important components of the landscape and water cycle. Please read Steve Nelle’s (NRCS) “Riparian Notes”, learn about taking care of your water resources. More information and details about upcoming workshops here.
TCEQ Considers lower water quality standards. SARA says “clean enough to swim in”
The board of the San Antonio River Authority has come out against the state lowering water quality standards for any of the creeks and rivers it oversees. Other Hill Country river basins are looking at this issue carefully. Sign a petition supporting high standards and learn more here.
Mainstreet Architect Introduces Design Guideline Process to Blanco
The first Design Guideline Public Meeting was held on Tuesday evening, July 27, 2010 at the Blanco Public library at 6 p.m. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce to Blanco citizens and business owners the steps involved in developing design guidelines for the city. Read more from Blanco County News here.
Kerr Wildlife Management Area to be Dedicated Aug. 27th
New, $1.8 million conference center to be dedicated Aug. 27 at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area will provide Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with a quality venue for presenting habitat management and ecological programs to thousands of landowners, students and researchers.
More…
UGRA to host Watershed Stewards event this Thursday
August 26th from 8 am – 4pm in Kerrville. Free, one-day workshop designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their watershed, the Guadalupe River above Canyon Lake. Details
Water Matters: Highland Lakes Group
One thing that almost everyone involved with water supply from groundwater agrees with, including users, marketers and regulators alike, is that the volume of water pumped from an aquifer should not exceed the natural recharge of water into the aquifer” Read Water Matters.
Capitol Area transportation planning news
The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's (CAMPO’s) August “CAMPO Connection” features information about the newly adopted 2035 Plan and ECT’s forum taking place on September 10th, “Innovate or Stagnate: Can New Approaches to Infrastructure Development Transform our Region?
Hill Country elected officials urging re-evaluation of transmission lines
Public officials participated in the August 19th PUC Open Meeting in Austin; “CREZ transmission line would have a significant negative impact on the Hill Country which is truly a unique area…” Read the summary from SOS Hill Country here. Senator Fraser continues to push for use of existing rights of way. Read Fraser’s letter to the PUC dated Aug 19th here.
Rainwater Revival announces speaker and live music line-up
The Rainwater Revival today announced the speaker and live music line-up for this outdoor festival created to celebrate the timeless conservation practice of rainwater collection. Read more here.
Senator Fraser Announces Gillespie-Newton Transmission Line Unnecessary
Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) announced on Tuesday that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has determined that the Gillespie to Newton transmission line is not necessary to solve congestion problems as part of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone project. Read more here.
TWCA Fall Meeting Scheduled for October 13-15
State Representative Doug Miller and TWDB Board Member Thomas Weir Labatt III will headline the fall meeting of the Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA), scheduled for October 13-15, 2010, at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. The program will also include numerous presentations on surface and groundwater management. Registration information and a full agenda should be available on the TWCA website by mid-August.
Hill Country power line may not be needed, state grid operator says
A controversial power line proposed to cross the Hill Country to transmit wind power from West Texas may not have to get built after all, according to a letter Tuesday from the agency operating the state's electricity grid. Read full Statesman.com article here.
TCEQ recognizes need for Hays, Travis, Comal Groundwater District
The TCEQ issued a report that draws the conclusion that an order be issued to create a Groundwater Conservation District to include Western Travis, Hays and Comal Counties. The report was filed June 30th and is available online here. More information here. A hearing has been set for set for October 28, 2010 at the Hays County Courthouse at 10:00 a.m. Click here for details.
Hays County picks Nicholson Ranch for Conservation
Nicholson Ranch tract may contain some karst features, which allow substances to more easily enter aquifers. The property includes a small section of Glen Rose limestone, is at the headwaters of Onion Creek, includes several branches of the creek, and may possess springs. Read full San Marcos News article here.
SOS Hill Country requests re-evaluation of transmission line
SaveOur Scenic Hill Country Environment (SOSHCE)is an organization of more than 500 members in Gillespie, Llano, Mason, Kerr and Kimble counties. They are highly concerned about the negative impacts that the McCamey D – Kendall – Gillespie CREZ line will have on the future of the Hill Country and are asking for a re-evaluation of the need for these lines. Read their letter to PUC here.
Great Video About Bear Springs Blossom Preserve
Peter and Marianne Bonenberger were recently awarded a Lone Star Land Steward Award for their excellent work educating the public about land conservation and active restoration practices. Texas Parks & Wildlife put together a great video about the Bonenbergers that is now available. Take five minutes and see what these awesome folks have been doing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6m8pLdxxww
LCRA Newsletter announces procedural schedule for Hill Country CREZ
LCRA TSC mailed about 5,100 notice letters to landowners along each of the 75 alternative routes the same day it filed the application on July 28. Newspaper notices describing LCRA TSC's proposed routes began running in area newspapers the week of Aug.2” August 27th is the intervention deadline. Complete LCRA Newsletter can be viewed here.
American Planning Association/Texas Conference October 6-9 in San Antonio
Water, Wind and Solar Resources - will there be enough for our growing State? Other topics include; physical and social sustainability planning; planning services to assist in meeting specific community needs; tools for planner's to use in their professional development and Ethics and legislative and court decisions and their effect on community development. HCA friend Randall Arendt, the nation's premier "green" landscape planner, site designer, author and lecturer and an advocate of "conservation planning" will return to Texas as a featured speaker. Learn more here.
Tom Mason, GM at LCRA to speak to PLTA Sept 9th
The Protect Lake Travis Association annual general membership meeting will be combined with a special meeting of the newly formed Lake Travis Community Coalition. The meeting will be held at the Travis County West Service Center near Mansfield Dam at 7PM on Thursday, September 9th. Learn more here.
Transmission Line Seminars Offer Information and Options for Landowners
Five transmission line seminars are scheduled across the state featuring expert information on the electric transmission line process, CREZ, and options for private landowners who may be impacted by proposed transmission line routes. Read details from Texas Wildlife Association here.
Statewide Long Range Transportation Plan 2035
TxDot hosts an open-house style public meeting for the development of the Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan addressing roads, transit, rail, and all transportation related planning - Wednesday, August 11th in San Antonio - Details
Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust Becomes Texas' First Accredited Land Trust
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, announced today that Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust has been awarded accredited status, making Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust the first accredited land trust in the state of Texas. Read more from Texas Land Trust Council here.
TCEQ Draws Flak for Studies That Might Result in Weaker Water Quality Standards The efforts of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to weaken water quality standards for numerous Texas streams through so-called “recreational use” studies were dealt a serious setback Thursday night in the small community of Kosciusko southeast of San Antonio when over 300 residents of Wilson, Karnes, and neighboring counties turned out to demand better water quality for their local stream, Lower Cibolo Creek. Read full story here.
Viewpoint: Comal County needs groundwater conservation district
In the state of Texas, the state owns surface water, including lakes and rivers. But groundwater is a private-property rights matter. In this regard, the state has declared that the preferred method of managing groundwater in Texas is by a groundwater conservation district. (Comal) county has no such groundwater conservation district atop the Trinity Aquifer, which spans about two-thirds of our county. Read full San Antonio Express community article here.
The Future of Water: GMA 9's 30-foot drawdown decision could crimp future growth
After nearly four years of hydrology modeling and politicking, representatives from groundwater districts in Kendall and eight other Hill Country counties decided Monday to limit the drawdown of aquifer levels to no more than 30 feet over the next 50 years. Read full Boerne Star article here.
Read more Hill Country news
Upcoming Events
September
September 1 in Wichita Falls - Transmission Line Seminar Hosted by Texas Wildlife Association and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association - Details
September 2 in San Marcos - Texas Wildlife Association Landowner Workshop and Membership Reception - Details
September 9 in Austin - Combined Protect Late Travis Association (PLTA) and Lake Travis Community Coalition (LTCC) meeting, open to the public - Details
September 10 in Austin - INNOVATE OR STAGNATE: Could New Approaches to Infrastructure Transform Our Region? - Envision Central Texas Regional Forum III - Details
September 11 - 21st Annual Frio River Trash Bash - Details
September 17 in San Antonio - Texas Riparian Association 2010 Annual Meeting - Details
September 17 in San Antonio - Edwards Aquifer Authority workshop on Karst Aquifers - Details
September 17 in New Braunfels - Austin-San Antonio Growth Summit - Details
September 21 in San Antonio - Saving Family Lands Seminar - Land conservation, tax planning and financial strategies for landowners and their advisors - Registration deadline: September 13 - Details
September 25 in Brenham - 2nd Annual South Central Texas Water Conservation Conference - Details
September 25 in Helotes - Riparian Zone Workshop: San Geronimo Creek - Details
September 26 in Helotes - Riparian Zone Workshop: Helotes Creek - Details
September 26 in Driftwood - Wimberley Valley Watershed Association annual Hill Country Water Celebration - Details
September 27 in San Antonio - Riparian Zone Workshop: San Antonio River - Details
October
October 4 in Lockhart - Riparian Landowners' Workshop - Details
October 5 in Swinney Switch - - Riparian Landowners' Workshop - Details
October 6 in Camp Wood - Riparian Landowners' Workshop - Details
October 6-9 in San Antonio - 2010 American Planning Association Texas Conference - Details
October 7 in Tarpley - Riparian Landowners' Workshop - Details
October 8 in Barksdale - Riparian Landowners' Workshop - Details
October 8 in Kerrville - Transmission Line Seminar Hosted by Texas Wildlife Association and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association - Details
October 9 in Dripping Springs - Hays County Rainwater Revival - All day event celebrating and learning about Rainwater Harvesting and Water Conservation - Details
October 11-12 in San Antonio - Texas Innovative Water 2010 - Details
October 13 in Cleburn - Transmission Line Seminar Hosted by Texas Wildlife Association and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association - Details
October 13-15 in San Antonio - Texas Water Conservation Association Fall Meeting - Registration information and a full agenda should be available on the http://www.twca.org/TWCA website by mid-August.
October 22 in Driftwood - Hill Country Conservancy's 4th Annual Hill Country Nights - Details
October 27 in Lubbock - Transmission Line Seminar Hosted by Texas Wildlife Association and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association - Details
October 27-30 in Austin - National Preservation Conference - Details
The Hill Country is an idea Texans share.
The Hill Country Alliance connects people and place as active stewards of a regional heritage worth sharing and sustaining for future generations.
"The Mission of the Hill Country Alliance is to bring together an ever-expanding alliance of groups throughout a multi-county region of Central Texas with the long-term objective of preserving open spaces, water supply, water quality and the unigue character of the Texas Hill Country."
