At the heart of the Hill Country, Friends of Lost Maples is taking steps to protect its night skies, establishing sky quality monitoring throughout the park as part of its application for International Dark Sky Park designation.
Their project is among 14 selected by the Hill Country Alliance for its second annual Night Sky Preservation Fund, which supports initiatives across 11 counties aimed at reducing light pollution, conserving energy, protecting wildlife, and promoting safe, star-filled nights for residents and visitors alike.
Backed by the Coypu Foundation and individual night sky advocates, the fund invited applications from regional nonprofits, local governments, and small businesses during Hill Country Night Sky Month.
The selected projects focus on improving outdoor lighting, educating communities about the benefits of night sky preservation, and tracking changes in sky quality across the region over time.
This year’s recipients span Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Hays, Kendall, Lampasas, Real, Travis, and Uvalde counties, marking an increase from the inaugural year’s nine organizations and 11 projects.
Other initiatives include retrofitting non-compliant lighting, expanding sky quality monitoring networks, developing educational outreach kits, and hosting public events to engage communities in preserving the night sky.
“We are proud to support these projects and grateful to every organization that applied to the fund this year,” said Katherine Romans, executive director of the Hill Country Alliance. “The Night Sky Preservation Fund’s second year reflects a commitment shared by the Hill Country Alliance, partners, and communities across the Hill Country to protect our night skies and celebrate them as part of our region’s heritage. By expanding the fund’s reach to more organizations and more counties, we are strengthening our collective ability to safeguard the starry skies that define this region—now and for years to come.”
While many funding programs exist for land and water conservation, fewer focus on the impacts of light pollution.
The Night Sky Preservation Fund helps fill that gap, providing ongoing support to communities working to preserve dark skies. Those interested in contributing are encouraged to contact the Hill Country Alliance.
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