Photo: Herb Smith
Land Conservation and Stewardship
The Hill Country is blessed with a rich natural heritage. For many landowners, land is much more than a financial asset; it is their legacy and their family history. Unfortunately, passing on the family farm or ranch, once a time-honored Texas tradition, is becoming more difficult in the face of rising costs and the pressures of encroaching development.
The role of private landowners in the Hill Country could not be more important. Especially within the context of Texas’s longstanding tradition of robust private property rights, the decisions made by each Hill Country landowner affect the future of the entire region and the legacy we will all leave to our children and grandchildren. Many landowners want to preserve their land’s unique natural features and historical uses. This page provides information and resources for you. Also see HCA’s page on the economics of land conservation here.
Download HCA’s issue paper “Conservation Easements and Working with Land Trusts”
Recent Land Stewardship and Conservation News
City approves incentive package for Spurs training center and research campus at La Cantera
The San Antonio City Council approved an agreement with the San Antonio Spurs organization Thursday to contribute up to $17 million in tax rebates for a proposed new development and…
Residents struggle to coexist with quarries
Growing up in the Texas Hill Country, Mark Friesenhahn often would run barefoot through the countryside with his younger brother — but only if their father, “a 150-pound, mean little…
Water company’s moves anger buyers, landowners, local governments
In 2018, Ronnie Urbanczyk signed a contract to purchase water from Texas Water Supply Co., a Boerne company with access to at least 40 water wells that tap into the…
Wastewater threatens Texas streams
Diane Causey is a 75-year-old antique shop manager in Utopia, a tiny town of 277 people located an hour-and-a-half northwest of San Antonio. Her favorite place in town is a…