Report finds Hill Country suffering the demands of rapid growth

Wide open spaces, vistas of wildflowers, dark night skies full of stars, and the charms of country living have all led to unprecedented population growth in the Texas Hill Country. That growth, and the growth that will inevitably follow, have brought the region to a crossroads, according to a new report from the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network.

The network is a partnership of dozens of organizations from an 18-county region of Central Texas. They are working to maximize protection of the Hill Country’s natural resources, warning that the “window of opportunity to keep the Hill Country rural, natural and vibrant will likely close within our generation,” in the words of the report. “Without collaboration, we will not keep pace with the loss of open space, the threats to water resources and other challenges facing our region.”

Members of the network presented their findings at a webinar this week, focusing on threats to the landscape, rich biodiversity and unique ecological systems of the Hill Country. The report notes that population growth in unincorporated areas has led to negative impacts on water quality and quantity, biodiversity, ecological connectivity, and visibility of the night sky.

Katherine Romans, executive director of the Hill Country Alliance, told those attending the webinar that not only has the Hill Country experienced unprecedented growth, experts predict that the population will double in the next 30 to 35 years. Growth and the accompanying need for new amenities such as schools and roads threatens wildlife habitat and family ranches and puts increasing demands on aquifers. Texas is losing its habitat and family ranches at a faster rate than any other state, and the loss is greater in the Hill Country than in the rest of the state, she said.

Read more: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2022/03/report-finds-hill-country-suffering-the-demands-of-rapid-growth/