Nearly 200 landowners in the Upper Guadalupe River Basin received more than 7,000 native plants earlier this month as part of an effort to restore riverbanks damaged by the July 2025 floods.
The Hill Country Alliance, working with several partners, hosted a native plant giveaway June 12-13 at Mosty Brothers Nursery in Center Point.
The event provided containerized grasses and sedges intended to stabilize stream banks and support recovery along the Guadalupe River and its tributaries.
Four species were distributed: switchgrass, bushy bluestem, Emory sedge and whitetop sedge. According to organizers, the plants are well suited for anchoring soil along waterways while supporting long-term riparian health.
'In Texas, riparian landowners play an important role in stewarding our creeks and rivers,' said Daniel Oppenheimer, HCA's land program director. 'Supporting landowners with their on-the-ground stewardship needs is critical for long-term success.'
The giveaway is part of a broader recovery effort launched after flooding in the Upper Guadalupe River Basin last summer. Hill Country Alliance and local partners held community meetings in August to hear concerns from landowners and share lessons learned from the 2015 Memorial Day flood on the Blanco River.
Since then, the organization has hosted educational field days, distributed more than 6,400 pounds of native grass seed and provided plants intended to improve riverbank stability.
'The scale of loss and impact on the riparian area was immense, and has warranted quick action and close collaboration with key partners,' said Katherine Romans, executive director of the Hill Country Alliance. 'We would not be able to work at this level and speed without the strong support of our partners, both locally and regionally.'
Partner organizations included the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, Kerr County River Foundation, San Antonio Botanical Garden, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Upper Guadalupe River Authority, Hunt Preservation Society, Mosty Brothers Nursery and the Kerr Together Long-Term Recovery River Working Group.
The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving natural resources and the character of the Texas Hill Country.
.png)
