Comal County Conservation Alliance (CCCA)

IT'S OUR TURN
People have been coming to Comal County for ages, and many who came before us were good stewards of the land. They cared for and protected the land, waterways, and unique natural features. Over time, individual families found ways to ensure that some of these special places could belong to the people. This video recognizes their contributions and highlights the many benefits these special areas have provided us and our families. It’s our turn now, to ensure these and other natural areas are protected for the benefit of future generations.

2022 COVID PROTOCOLS

CCCA will resume outdoor community events this spring and will begin offering in-person community programs where social distancing is possible. We encourage the use of masks at our indoor programs and events and thank everyone for their consideration of one another's health risk factors.
We will be using these protocols until further notice. (Updated March 1, 2022)

Comal Land Conservation Fund
To support its mission of preserving land, water, and wildlife in Comal County, CCCA created the Comal Land Conservation Fund (CLCF). Read about this important fund and how your donations to the CLCF can help preserve the beautiful land and precious natural resources of Comal County.

Help CCCA While You Shop At Amazon.smile
When you shop on AmazonSmile you can also support our Comal Land Conservation Fund, which helps preserve the land and natural resources of Comal County.

Learn more by going to the Shop AmazonSmile page.

Pub: April 3, 2022

April Spotlight Topic: Bird Migration
If you have not experienced the varieties of avian dwellers and the rich variety of migratory groups that come our way, treat yourself to observe and even provide some respite waters and foods where appropriate. Try a trail trek and take along some field glasses for close, quiet observations. It’s a wondrous treat!

Conservation Insider
Did you miss our latest newsletter? Don't panic. Click here to read your copy.

Become a "Friend of CCCA" to get the latest Conservation Insider newsletters, news of upcoming events, and other important information about preserving land, water, and wildlife in Comal County.

Pub: May 8, 2022

“Passion and Unity for the Natural World"
Through the last 25 years our Texas Hill Country and Comal County have undergone monumental change! The “I-35 corridor” and the cherished escarpment that attracts many have witnessed a continuous “arriving” and “settling” for many. The location alongside the linkage of two of the nation’s most rapidly growing metropolitan communities underscores our new reality.

In the fervor of development, growth, and tourism expressed in and around Comal County, a concerned band of citizens comprised of old timers and newcomers has emerged. In addition to the connections of residential and commercial developers and planners, folks with a deep interest in the natural features of Comal and the Texas Hill Country have found one another. Twenty or so new groups of interested and concerned naturalists and water stewards have joined the five or so long-standing groups that have held together some of the visionary work of Lindheimer and a few others. Diverse in education, professional, personal, religious, and political interests, those with a passion for the rivers, springs and aquifers, the flora and fauna of the hills, and stretch of blackland farms have come together with a new public voice and select measures. With an aim “to preserve land, water, and wildlife in Comal County” the Comal County Conservation Alliance became a shared voice.

If you missed Frank's May column in the Herald-Zeitung, be sure to read it here. He, as always, writes a beautiful story.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Pub: May 19, 2022

Strategy Meeting for County Local Options
The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) is beginning its planning process for urging the Texas Legislature to give some limited land-use authority to the counties in the Hill Country when they convene the 2023 legislative session next year. The first step in GEAA’s process is to gather folks who are interested in assisting in this effort. All interested people are welcome.

You can access resource materials and read legislation proposed in past legislative sessions here. For a short overview of the issue click here.

One piece of legislation aimed at addressing incompatible land uses might be introduced during the upcoming session. State Rep. Philip Cortez said he plans to sponsor a bill that would give counties and residents of unincorporated areas greater oversight of fireworks stores and other businesses that affect public safety. Read more here.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 24, 2022 04:00 PM Central Time
WHERE: Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9988662313?pwd=cGNtVEpVYWZScG5sMHduNkRraXpMZz09
Meeting ID: 998 866 2313 / Passcode: 1234
One tap mobile: +13462487799,,9988662313# US (Houston)
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 998 866 2313
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kz3bTeaL6

Pub: May 20, 2022

El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association Outreach Meeting
WHO: El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association
WHAT: Outreach Meeting
WHEN: May 25, 2022, 10-11:00 AM
WHERE: New Braunfels Conservation Society Plaza,
Forke Store,
1300 Church Hill Drive

The meeting is free, but registration is required at: elcaminomtc.eventzilla.net

The ElCaT is partnering with the National Park Service-National Trails office and local communities. The goal is to develop local chapters to assist and support communities in the protection, development, and promotion of Camino Real trail resources in their areas! The ElCaT also set up outreach meetings in San Marcos, Austin, Bastrop & Nacogdoches.

This is a great initiative and we are hoping for a great Comal County turnout of citizen volunteers, elected officials, and businesses to raise awareness for the trail and encourage protection of this valuable resource.

Pub: May 20, 2022

“Wild at Work: A Stewardship Series”
WHO: Texas Wildlife Association
WHAT: FREE WEBINAR
WHEN: Thursday, May 26, from 12 PM to 1 PM.
The first in a new series titled “Wild at Work: A Stewardship Series.” The first episode will be about wildlife monitoring and how it informs habitat management.

Registration is completely free—we just ask that you sign up at this link to get the sign-on information. It’s open to anyone, so please share with all who may be interested. Thank you, and we hope to see you online!

Pub: May 11, 2022

Sweaty Yeti 5K Trail Run
WHEN: Saturday, June 04, 2022, 8:00 AM
WHERE: Dry Comal Creek Trail
3565 TX Loop 337
New Braunfels, Texas 78130

Year 4 of the Sweaty Yeti. The first of it’s kind trail run in New Braunfels. This event is driven by our love for outdoors, hiking, running, and TRAILS! Race proceeds will benefit the Comal Trails Alliance and our mission to advocate for more trails in Comal County. Let's get outside!

Pub: May 1, 2022

What's Happening at the Mammen Family Public Library?

Register for the following programs by calling the Mammen Family Public Library at 830-438-4864.

1
WHAT: Water Fair at Mammen Library
WHEN: June 13, 2022, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service developed the Investigating Water Curriculum to address water education and water conservation. The Water Fair is an onsite field trip featuring group rotations about Aquifers, Rainfall and Runoff Simulation, Water in the Body, the Water Cycle, the EnviroScape & Indoor/Outdoor Water Conservation. Each group will get to experience each fun station to learn about all things water related.

2
WHAT: Landowner Management Workshop, Soil Issues
WHEN: June 15, 2022, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Bring your lunch and learn something new! Join Lauren Schumaker from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as she lectures on soil issues for landowners in our area.

3
Trees for Spring!
Spring is here… and it's baby season for wildlife! Help wildlife this spring by providing a safe place for wildlife to bear and raise their young. By providing food, water, cover, and places to raise young the National Wildlife Federation will recognize your garden or landscape as an official Certified Wildlife Habitat®.
Certify today and you'll give a native tree to a community or school that will plant and care for it.
Click here for more information or to certify

NEWS

Pub: May 16, 2022

Small-town Boerne Works to Preserve Resources as Development Gobbles Hill Country Land
Brent Evans calls the Hill Country the sweet spot of Texas.

“When you have quick changes in elevation, you get a much greater diversity of life, and so you get the creeks and you have the sinkholes and the aquifers being filled up and it’s marvelous,” Evans said.

A Kendall County resident, Evans and others have worked for decades to protect the 17-county region’s abundant resources, the natural springs, waterways and fertile ground situated between the Panhandle Plains and the Rio Grande Valley.

The Cibolo Center for Conservation in Boerne is a result of their efforts, and also the center of growing influence to guard against uncontrolled growth that threatens the natural resources sustaining an entire region... .

Pub: May 16, 2022

CCCA Celebrates Its Four Year Anniversary
On Saturday, May 14th, at the Tye Preston Memorial Library, past and present Board Members came together to celebrate the fourth birthday of the Comal County Conservation Alliance, the first-ever conservation nonprofit organization in Comal County.

Vice-President Jane Finneran welcomed guests to this special occasion. Elizabeth Bowerman, current President and helmsperson, presented a history of CCCA and a look into its future.

Director-at-Large and CCCA Herald-Zeitung columnist Frank Dietz acknowledged the committed efforts of past and present volunteers. CCCA Consultant Helen Ballew introduced the members of the newly formed Advisory Board and thanked them for their participation and support.

CCCA friend Comal County Commissioner Kevin Webb spoke about what's happening at the county level and
praised CCCA for its help and its ability to develop respectful working relationships with government officials.

Government Affairs Committee Co-Chair Roxanna Deane presented the Inaugural Jensie Madden Comal Conservation Award, posthumously, to Jensie Madden, one of the founders of CCCA, a founding Board Member, and dedicated conservationist. Members of Jensie's family were present in honor of the occasion and to accept the award.

Delicious refreshments were served, with birthday cupcakes topping off the festive event.

Pub: May 11, 2022

Dim the Lights for Birds at Night!
World Migratory Bird Day 2022

World Migratory Bird Day is on May 14, 2022, and the theme this year is about reducing the impacts of light pollution on migratory birds and the significant threats it poses. The Migratory Bird Program is encouraging everyone to participate in reducing the impacts of light pollution and join in the international effort to "Dim the Lights for Birds at Night!"

Kentucky Warblers, listed as one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Birds of Conservation Concern, is one of many bird species that are night migrants and highly vulnerable to bird collisions.

Nighttime Lights and Birds: What’s the Issue?
Artificial light is scattered across the landscape of the entire country, and birds are frequently attracted to lighting, especially during inclement weather events during migration. Unfortunately, lights can cause confusion, disorientation, and exhaustion - directly impacting their ability to migrate.

For example, birds disoriented by lights can circle structures for extended periods of time, leading to exhaustion or accelerated use of energy stores critical for migration. In addition, birds attracted to lights on buildings and structures frequently crash into windows and collide into buildings, unfortunately ending in tragedy.

Eliminating or reducing unnecessary lighting can significantly reduce bird collisions, while simultaneously reducing energy demands and costs to building owners. Reducing nighttime lighting is especially important during peak bird migration periods, and periods of inclement weather... .

Pub: May 9, 2022

LWV San Antonio Climate Change Seminar #1
Watch the first in a series of videos about Climate Change in Texas presented by the League of Women Voters - San Antonio. The remaining webinars will be more climate change specific.

Pub: May 9, 2022

Recovering America's Wildlife Act
Nationwide, experts have identified more than 12,000 Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including over 1,300 here in Texas. The majority of these are at-risk fish and wildlife — like many grassland birds, bees and butterflies, and freshwater species.

Unfortunately, America lacks a dedicated funding stream to conserve vulnerable wildlife and help prevent thousands of species from becoming endangered. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would be the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in a generation — it would fund proactive, voluntary efforts to address the nation’s looming wildlife crisis and conserve our natural heritage for future generations.

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would provide $1.3 billion per year to states, and $97.5 million to tribal nations, from existing revenues to fund wildlife conservation, habitat management and restoration, outdoor recreation, and education programs. Of this, Texas would be eligible for more than $50 million per year to implement the Texas Conservation Action Plan and help stabilize the at-risk species in our state... .

ACTION TOOLKIT: How to Contact Your Members of Congress

Who Represents Me? U.S. House Representative
Click this link to learn who your U.S. House Representative is—they will be the first name listed under your U.S. Congressional District. Use his or her website to send them a message. Ask them to vote YES for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act!

If you would like to write them, CLICK HERE for a sample letter.

U.S. Senators
Send a message through the contact page of Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz's website or call their office. Ask them to vote YES for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.

Senator Ted Cruz
127A Russell Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5922
website

Senator John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2934
website

Pub: May 1, 2022

H-E-B Partners With Texas Parks and Wildlife To Conserve Texas
Together, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) and H-E-B are committed to making the lives of Texans better, and that means we’re focused on conserving our great state, now and for generations to come.

H-E-B’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Our Texas, Our Future, along with the new Field & Future by H-E-B™ product brand will support efforts such as coastal conservation along the Texas Gulf Coast, black bear restoration in West Texas, and the establishment of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park in North Texas, the state’s newest state park. TPWF and H-E-B invite you to join in the effort to conserve our state’s wildlife, habitat, and natural resources with a gift today!

FIELD AND FUTURE
Field & Future by H-E-B, which the company launched last year, is an environmentally-minded brand of household, personal care and baby products designed to be clean and green. The brand is made with recycled or recyclable content, biodegradable formulas or plant-based ingredients, and without over 165 harsh chemicals. Currently, there are nearly 100 Field & Future by H-E-B products on shelf, including dish soap, body wash, bath tissue, baby diapers, as well as trash bags and bags for recyclables, which are made from up to 65 percent and 30 percent post-consumer recycled plastic from H-E-B facilities, respectively.

Pub: April 14, 2022

The second phase of the Headwaters master plan will include the construction of a visitors center and conference space. (Courtesy city of New Braunfels)

Headwaters at the Comal Gets $1.2M Grant For Further Development
The Headwaters at the Comal was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the New Braunfels Economic Development Corp. to be used in the construction of a facility that will house meeting and conference spaces...

The project is being completed in phases, according to city documents, and the $8.4 million Phase 1 was completed in 2017. Phase 1 included a natural stormwater management system, restoration of riparian habitats, the construction of an amphitheater, walking trails, the Comal Springs overlook and retrofitting an outdoor pavilion.

The Headwaters is currently fundraising for Phase 2, which will construct the 6,400-square-foot Center at the Headwaters facility. The facility is expected to cost $8 million with an additional 20%-30% of construction cost increases anticipated over time for a total cost of $9.11 million-$9.68 million...

The Headwaters commissioned EcoMetrics LLC, a firm specializing in developing impacts for projects whose economic impacts require a monetary valuation to conduct an impact analysis. According to the study, the market value of the proposed improvements is approximately $8.9 million, while the social value is estimated to be $88.94 million. Once complete the center will include a 200-seat conference room, restroom facilities, a visitors center, a 60-person meeting room and more.

Read the entire article.

Pub: April 11, 2022

Rethinking Our Relationship With Hill Country Water Before It's Too Late
By Jennefer Walker

Water is an integral part of the Hill Country fabric, and it is embodied in the rivers and springs that make this region special. It is also the single most limiting factor in the Hill Country. The region’s population is growing rapidly and, according to a comprehensive new study from the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network, there simply isn’t enough water available from traditional sources to match current consumption patterns. We need to urgently rethink how we capture water—and how we consume it... .

Read the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network's State of the Hill Country: 2022 Report.

Pub: April 4, 2022

New Braunfels Joins National Challenge for Water Conservation
New Braunfels Mayor Rusty Brockman is joining other mayors from across the country in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, which asks residents to make a long-term commitment to reduce pollution and manage water resources more wisely. In return, residents can win $3,000 toward their Home Utility Payments, water saving fixtures, and hundreds of other prizes. Plus, one lucky charity from a winning city will receive a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

The National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is presented by the Wyland Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life.

“The New Braunfels community has been blessed with abundant water resources for as long as there have been people living here. As stewards of the natural resources we enjoy each day, water plays a most significant role in the success and preservation of life as we know it here, from drinking water to water recreation,” said New Braunfels Mayor Rusty Brockman. “As Mayor, I challenge all citizens of New Braunfels and Comal County to participate. Water conservation is so important as we grow and plan for our future. By following conservation measures and taking the pledge to protect the quality of our water, we all are laying a firm foundation for a sustainable future here in our community.”

The annual mayor’s challenge, happening April 1st through April 30th, is a non-profit national community service campaign that encourages leaders to inspire their residents to make a series of simple pledges to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution, and save energy. The program was started ten years ago by a handful of mayors who were looking for alternative ways to engage their residents more deeply about the water challenges faced in the U.S.
Continue reading at: www.mywaterpledge.com

Pub: March 15, 2022

Federal Recognition to Advance Conservation and Military Readiness Around Camp Bullis
On the west side of Camp Bullis, at the edge of the Dominion neighborhood, Rustin Tabor pulls his truck to the side of a winding road and walks a few feet into the wooded area that lines it.

Farther in, stretched across the dirt, is an entrance to a cave — a karst that leads deep under the forest to the Edwards Aquifer. A grate has been installed on the opening to prevent anyone from climbing down into it.

The cave, called Sharon Springs, is one of 112 on Camp Bullis, a military training reservation on the Northwest Side. There are 1,474 karst features throughout Camp Bullis, ranging from small cracks and crevices to slits in the earth, that deposit water into the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer... .

The Lone Star State's First Sentinel Landscape Designation: Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape Consortium
The Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape, based in the Texas Hill Country, encompasses ranch lands, spring-fed rivers, and one of the fastest growing regions in the country. Within this region, Joint Base San Antonio’s Camp Bullis provides training opportunities for 266 mission partners, supporting all DoD enlisted and officer medical training, military intelligence, special forces, pre-deployment, national, and international training requirements.

With rapid population growth emanating from San Antonio and the I-35 corridor, the Texas Hill Country and Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape are facing a mounting number of challenges affecting the long-term resilience of the region’s natural resources. New development contributes to the loss of agricultural lands and increased ambient light pollution, impacting night-time military training. Growing demands on existing water supply have led to the loss of spring flow and aquifer drawdowns, impacting drinking water supplies for Camp Bullis, rural landowners, towns, and cities. These and other challenges have attracted a myriad of partners to come together to create a collective vision for how to invest in protecting the natural resources that define the region as it grows. In forming the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape in 2022, nearly 40 partner organizations have committed to collaborate towards shared goals.

Also, view a video by Hill Country Alliance Land Program Manager Daniel Oppenheimer as he explains the what and why of this important consortium and how it affects our Hill Country.

Pub: March 15, 2022

The Largest Remaining Tall-Grass Prairie in Texas is Getting Solar Panels.
Environmentalists Can't Stop It
In northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border, open space stretches for miles. On the surface, it looks like an ideal place to install solar panels.

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex 90 miles to the southwest is expanding at an extraordinary rate, and there is increasing demand for reliable, clean energy — especially in light of a failure of the electricity grid in the state last year. But a planned solar facility on a 3,594-acre tract of land outside Paris, Tex., has environmental groups searching for a way to save a property they consider a living museum. They’re coming up short.

Just off Highway 82, a historical marker denotes the significance and gives the land a name. The Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland is the largest remaining section of tall-grass prairie in the state. It has never been plowed and replaced by crops. Once the soil is disturbed by development, it will no longer be considered pristine prairie... .

Nature Conservancy Explores Trees & Climate Change
In 2013, scientist Susan Cook-Patton and a few other researchers with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center began an experiment to answer a simple question: What tree-planting strategies work best... ? Find out what they learned.

Read the conversation about how trees soak up carbon with Ronnie Drever, senior conservation scientist for Nature United. Two things happen when we talk about carbon storage in forests: The first is the actual carbon stored in trees’ tissues and in forest soil. Then there’s carbon sequestration ... .

Rapid Development of Comal County Brings Concerns About the Aquifer
Comal County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country and it’s no secret why. The scenery is beautiful. But for some, that is exactly why development is concerning.

Much of Comal County sits over the contributing and recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer. To understand it better, we visited one of the many caves found in the county.

“At one time, the cave was filled with water. And then, as the water levels have dropped over geologic time, it’s left these relics of conduits that move water through the system,” explained Geary Schindel, president of the National Speleological Society, who guided us through a central Comal County cave. “So these caves allow us to look at the fabric of the limestone to understand better how groundwater moves through the system, how it goes from recharge to discharge... .”

Hill Country Communities can Pursue Dark Sky Designation Following New State Law
Across the more remote pockets of Hill Country, several communities are looking to attract tourism dollars and increase the quality of life for residents by utilizing a precious, shrinking natural resource—darkness—or rather, the absence of artificial light.

With the authorization of a recent state bill, Senate Bill 1090, cities across Texas can again apply for a designation of a Dark Sky Community from the International Dark-Sky Association... .

Groundwater and Surface Water 3D Animation
In the Hill Country, groundwater and surface water are connected. Clear springs feed our iconic creeks and rivers. Water recharges aquifers (our groundwater supply) through caves and fractures in creek and riverbeds.

Groundwater and surface water are managed differently. Groundwater is considered a private property right and managed through local groundwater conservation districts. Surface water is property of the State of Texas and water rights are administered through river authorities. Watch this informative video... .

NBU, Area Officials Consider One Water Conservation Methods Amid Continued Rapid Growth in Central Texas
As the city of New Braunfels and the surrounding area continue to experience explosive population growth and related development, representatives from several local entities have begun plans to implement sweeping water conservation efforts... .

Nature Can Reduce Costs, Extend Life of Infrastructure Projects
A newly published article could prompt discussion around adoption of construction designs and methods that utilize nature to cut costs, extend project lifecycles and improve ecological synergy, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist... .

Support Our Supporters
Hats off to our great supporters. We appreciate these businesses and organizations that have supported CCCA conservation efforts and fundraisers. Our success is because of you. We can't thank you enough.