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Projects / Parks & Recreation

Headwaters Sanctuary

Headwaters Sanctuary Master Plan

CLIENT

Headwaters at Incarnate Word

LOCATION

San Antonio, Texas

COMPLETED

August 2026

PROJECT TYPE

Master Plan

Sculptural leaf-shaped trail gateway on a stone path at Headwaters Sanctuary – landscape architecture and public art integration by Urban Alchemy Collective
The Crossing
0 ACRES

PROTECTED UNDER
CONSERVATION EASEMENT

0

Experience Zones Connecting ecology, history, and discovery

0

SHARED VISION Stewarding the headwaters of the San Antonio River

GALLERY

Site Vision
The Hidden Course
Headwaters Sanctuary entrance sign with native grasses and pollinator plantings – landscape architecture design by Urban Alchemy Collective

The Awakening

Rendering of the Headwaters nature pavilion with native plantings and shaded gathering porch – landscape architecture by Colt Yorek and Urban Alchemy Collective

The Pavilion

Visitors on an elevated overlook and nature trail through native prairie at Headwaters Sanctuary – parks planning and design by Urban Alchemy Collective

Field of Becoming

ON THIS PAGE

SERVICES PROVIDED

Visioning & Master Planning

Landscape Architecture

Community Engagement

Stakeholder Facilitation

Ecological & Cultural Resource Coordination

Implementation Planning

OVERVIEW

At the headwaters of the San Antonio River lies one of the city’s most culturally, ecologically, and spiritually significant landscapes.

Headwaters Sanctuary encompasses 53 acres within San Antonio’s urban core, including 50 acres protected under a conservation easement. Its springs, riparian habitats, heritage trees, and archaeological resources hold evidence of human connection to this landscape spanning thousands of years.

The challenge was to welcome people into this extraordinary place while protecting the qualities that make it a sanctuary. UAC’s master plan establishes a long-term vision rooted in four guiding principles: Conservation, Stewardship, Education, and Connection.

Through a light-touch network of trails, gathering spaces, and interpretive experiences, the plan invites layered discovery: first through beauty, then through meaning, and ultimately through a personal connection to place. Seven distinct experience zones reveal the sanctuary’s ecology and cultural legacy while supporting restoration, learning, and reflection.

The completed master plan provides a framework for the sanctuary’s next chapter, guiding future improvements and ongoing stewardship with care for the land and the stories it holds.

RESULTS

Headwaters Sanctuary now has a coordinated roadmap for conservation, visitor experience, and implementation. The completed master plan:

  • Establishes a long-term conservation and stewardship strategy for the 53-acre sanctuary, respecting its existing 50-acre conservation easement.
  • Connects seven distinct experience zones through a layered journey of beauty, discovery, and personal connection to place.
  • Defines a light-touch approach to trails, habitat restoration, gathering spaces, and interpretation that protects sensitive ecological and archaeological resources.
  • Integrates visitor arrival, a welcome center, and staff and volunteer needs to support education, stewardship, and daily operations.
  • Organizes improvements into actionable phases, supported by a long-term framework for maintenance, ecological monitoring, and adaptive management.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Headwaters Sanctuary offered an opportunity to connect people with a landscape rich in ecology, cultural history, and spiritual meaning. The challenge was to invite discovery, learning, and reflection while protecting the resources and quiet character that make this place extraordinary.

01

PROTECT WHAT MAKES IT EXTRAORDINARY.

Safeguard springs, mature trees, habitats, and archaeological resources while welcoming visitors.

02

REVEAL THE STORIES OF THE LAND.

Connect ecology, Indigenous heritage, cultural history, and spirituality through discovery and reflection.

03

MAKE ACCESS INTENTIONAL.

Improve arrival, trails, and outdoor learning while preserving the sanctuary’s quiet character.

04

TURN VISION INTO ACTION.

Align future improvements with stewardship capacity, funding, and the ongoing care of the landscape.

OUR APPROACH

UAC served as prime consultant, leading a multidisciplinary process grounded in listening, research, and collaboration. We worked with sanctuary leadership, stakeholders, and technical specialists to translate the site’s mission and sensitive conditions into a shared direction.

Ecological and archaeological studies, site analysis, and coordination around floodplain conditions and existing utility easements informed where improvements could occur and where restraint was essential. This work shaped trail alignments, visitor spaces, and interpretation around the landscape’s capacity to accommodate change.

We paired design recommendations with phased priorities and operational considerations, giving sanctuary leadership a practical basis for future investment, daily management, and long-term care.

Urban Alchemy Collective brought together:

Visioning and master planning
Landscape architecture

Site and existing conditions analysis

Ecological and habitat planning

Visitor experience planning

Trail and circulation planning

Interpretation and educational planning

Stakeholder engagement

Implementation strategy