Environmental Stewardship

The City of Wimberley is dedicated to preserving our natural environment for future generations. On this page, Wimberley residents can find information on different topics related to the responsible stewardship of our environment. 

International Dark-Sky Community

The City of Wimberley is among a select few cities that has shown exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of a quality outdoor lighting ordinance, dark sky education and citizen support of dark skies.

Oak Wilt

Thinking of trimming your oak trees? If so, then please consider taking some time to inform yourself about the devastating tree disease known as Oak Wilt. Oak Wilt is an infectious tree disease that has already killed thousands of oak trees in the central Texas area.The disease is spread by beetles that land on wounded or recently prunes oak trees.  Infected trees can spread the disease rapidly through intertwined root systems and most trees usually die if they are not treated quickly by a qualified arborist. This can affect aesthetics, decrease property value, and be expensive to manage. The best way to prevent oak wilt is to refrain from pruning trees between February and June as this is when the beetles that transmit the disease are most active. For more information on preventing Oak Wilt, please see the City of Wimberley's recommendations for preventing Oak Wilt below. For extensive information on how to prevent, identify, and manage the spread of Oak Wilt, please visit texasoakwilt.org.

Riparian Management

Own property on the Cypress Creek or the Blanco River? Then please consider learning the ins and outs of proper riparian management! A "riparian area" is the low area along the edge of a river, stream, or lake. This seemingly small area can have MAJOR impacts on the environmental health of your property and the body of water it lies adjacent to. Having the proper vegetation in your riparian area is essential to slowing floodwater, trapping and holding sediment, and cleaning runoff before it enters our streams and rivers. Doing your part to properly manage your riparian area can have major impacts on wildlife habitat and water quality for your downstream neighbors. The main techniques for encouraging a healthy riparian area are limiting mowing along the riverbank and taking measures to remove invasive species. Please visit the Hill Country Alliance website, or read the online copy of Your Remarkable Riparian for more information.

Birds and Wildlife

Want to support birds and other wildlife in the Wimberley Valley? Click the links below for some information on protecting encouraging native wildlife in our community.

Cats Indoors - Did you know that outside of the house, cats are considered a non-native invasive species and are a major threat to birds and other wildlife. Billions of bird deaths every year are attributed to free-roaming feral cats. To be better stewards of the environment, the City of Wimberley encourages its residents to keep their cats indoors. 

Bird-Safe Glass - Glass collisions kill vast numbers of birds in the United States each year. Yet most Americans know little about this danger, and even fewer are aware of the solutions available to help prevent these deaths — fixes that in many cases are easy and inexpensive.

Plants for Birds - Thinking of doing some landscaping? Consider only using native plants around your home. Native plants provide habitat and food for insects and wildlife. They also require less water!