Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Education Center 
The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) Education Center will be a visionary 12-acre project that exemplifies environmental education, regenerative landscape strategies, and nature-based recreation within one of Central Texas’s most important ecological preserves. The center will be the first of its kind in the BCP—a regionally significant preserve established in 1996 to protect endangered species habitat as the region continues to grow. Construction documentation will begin in late 2025, with completion anticipated in 2027, marking a significant milestone in public access to and engagement with this unique Hill Country landscape.
Reimagining Public Engagement with the Preserve
To date, access to Balcones Canyonlands Preserve lands has largely been limited to guided tours and select programs, to minimize disturbance to sensitive habitats. While this has furthered conservation goals, it has offered few opportunities for the community to interact informally with the landscape. The acquisition of the SAS site will provide an unprecedented opportunity for a “come-and-go” visitor experience, allowing people to explore the Preserve independently while continuing to support its long-term ecological mission.
As development and population growth increase, public demand for immersive nature experiences will continue to rise. The new education center will directly address this need, offering a welcoming, interpretive landscape that will foster environmental literacy and strengthen connections to place.
A Living Demonstration of Landscape Resilience
The center will be designed as a model for adapting to environmental challenges such as water scarcity, drought, habitat loss, and wildfire risk. The landscape strategies will provide beautiful and practical solutions to these complex issues.
Key features will include:

• Net-zero water landscape: The center will utilize air conditioning condensate capture and rainwater harvesting to support irrigation-free operation, demonstrating regenerative water management in a region where scarcity is an ongoing concern.
• Green infrastructure: Stormwater features will be designed to manage the 95th percentile storm event, using natural processes to filter, slow, and infiltrate water while enhancing ecological function.
• 100% native plant gardens: The gardens will showcase the resilience and beauty of the Hill Country’s native flora, restore habitat, and serve as educational demonstrations of sustainable landscaping.
• Outdoor education areas: Pavilion classrooms, an amphitheater, and interpretive trails will provide opportunities for both self-guided exploration and structured environmental programming.
• Trail network through endangered species habitat: Carefully aligned trails will enable public enjoyment of sensitive habitat areas while protecting their ecological integrity.

Advancing the Mission of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve
Spanning thousands of acres across multiple ecologies, the BCP stands as a hallmark of Travis County's dedication to balancing responsible development with large-scale land conservation. The preserve provides critical habitat for endangered species and supports a wide variety of native plant and animal life. The Education Center will build upon this legacy by serving as a gateway and a living classroom—enabling the community to witness, learn from, and participate in ongoing stewardship of this remarkable landscape.
By inviting public participation and providing hands-on learning, the project will support both ecological resilience and community well-being—offering a forward-thinking model for how public landscapes can educate and inspire.

​​Location:  Austin, Texas
Size:  12 Acres
Client:  Travis County
Scope:  Phase I: Master plan concept.  Phase II:  Soil and landscape restoration, ecological research,  Sustainability and SITES consultant
​Completion: 2027
Project team: Jackson & McElhaney Architects, Studio Outside, Jose Guerra - Civil & Mechanical Engineering, TSEN Engineering and Drew Patterson Studios