Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Apr 1, 2024 | Conservation Easements, HCA in the News, Land Conservation and Stewardship, Linked Stories, Native Landscapes, News, Night Skies, Wildlife
For land trusts that want to protect dark skies, the good news is this: They already do plenty to combat light pollution. By protecting undeveloped land with little human habitation, they inherently preserve darkness, at no added cost. And, when compared to problems...
Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Mar 29, 2024 | HCA in the News, Hill Country Tourism, Linked Stories, News, Night Skies, Planning and Development
The urgency is partly because of the rarity of the phenomenon: the next total solar eclipse to be visible in continental U.S. won’t arrive until 2044. And the Hill Country may be an especially attractive destination because the region is enviably pleasant in the...
Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Mar 20, 2024 | Hill Country Tourism, Linked Stories, News, Night Skies
When a rare total eclipse darkens the Texas sky on April 8, it’s expected to draw in as many as 1 million out-of-state visitors. Those visitors are expected to inject millions of dollars into the state’s economy — and a big chunk of that will be spent in the Hill...
Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Mar 14, 2024 | Drought, Groundwater Resources, Linked Stories, Native Landscapes, News, Water Catchment Areas (Watershed), Water Conservation, Water Planning, Water Resources
Spring is practically upon us, meaning it’s just about time to clear out the flowerbeds and start planning the year’s garden. But with increasingly unpredictable rainfall and extended droughts, it may be worth considering plants with lower water needs —...
Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Mar 14, 2024 | Drought, Groundwater Resources, Linked Stories, News, Water Catchment Areas (Watershed), Water Conservation, Water Planning, Water Resources
New research from The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University uncovers a concerning decline in the state’s groundwater resources, finding that the number of dry springs has nearly tripled since the early 1980s. Co-authored by Robert E....
Posted by Leah Cuddeback | Mar 14, 2024 | Drought, Groundwater Resources, Linked Stories, News, Water Resources
I’m pretty sure I learned about aquifers in a middle school classroom during a science unit on the water cycle. But, like most people, I’ve entirely forgotten what I learned or didn’t pay close attention. But in the last few years, since I started covering Hays...
