About Us

Shepherd Mountain Neighborhood Association (SMNA) was founded in 2016 to preserve and improve the quality of life and protect and enhance the values of properties within and around Shepherd Mountain Phase Two. SMNA operates as a 501(c)4 non-profit organization.

We are active members of the Shepherd Mountain Firewise community and partner with the Austin Police Department to manage our Neighborhood Watch.

Firewise USA

Shepherd Mountain became a National Fire Protection Association Firewise USA site in 2021, which means our community has taken proactive steps to reduce wildfire risks and has been recognized by the NFPA as meeting their standards for wildfire safety.

We work closely with the Austin Fire Department Wildfire Division to understand our wildfire risks and take action to reduce them.

Email us at shepmtn@gmail.com to schedule a Structure Ignition Zone (SIZE) assessment. The evaluation is done entirely outside your home by one or two volunteers who have been trained by the Austin Fire Department Wildfire Division. They’ll assess potential wildfire risks and offer practical tips to better protect your property. Most visits take about 30 to 60 minutes.

Download the wildfire preparedness playbook to help you get ready, know when to be alert, and leave safely if necessary.

Watch this video on Austin Wildfire Chat.

We work closely with the Austin Fire Department Wildfire Division to understand our wildfire risks and take action to reduce them.

Download the wildfire preparedness playbook to help you get ready, know when to be alert, and leave safely if necessary.

Watch this video on Austin Wildfire Chat.

We work closely with the Austin Fire Department Wildfire Division to understand our wildfire risks and take action to reduce them.

Download the wildfire preparedness playbook to help you get ready, know when to be alert, and leave safely if necessary.

Watch this video on Austin Wildfire Chat.

Wildfire Preparedness Playbook

Neighborhood Watch

Shepherd Mountain partners with the Austin Police Department to keep our neighborhood safe through an active and well-connected Neighborhood Watch program. Together, we work to prevent crime, look out for one another, and stay informed about what’s happening in our area. Please report any criminal activity to your block captain.

Do you know who your block captain is? If not, email us shepmtn@gmail.com

Photos courtesy of neighbors Ed Astrich & Stu Robertson

Wildlife Habitat

Many Shepherd Mountain properties share a boundary with the 34-acre Carol Lee Preserve* and various beautiful hill country greenbelts that are home to a variety of wildlife protected by the Endangered Species Act, the Bull Creek watershed, a mix of native and drought-tolerant tree species, and rocky limestone bluffs and steep slopes.

Check your calendar before you trim trees! A permit is required to disturb or remove endangered species habitat any time of year, but even permit-holders cannot disturb endangered golden-cheeked warbler habitat between March 1 and August 31. This means no cutting down trees and avoiding noisy construction disturbances during this 6-month period.

*Carol Lee Preserve is not a public park but a nature preserve with guided hikes and volunteer opportunities that can be found at www.austintexas.gov/wildlandevents.

Getting ready to remodel or redo your yard? Before clearing anything, consider reaching out to our master naturalist neighbors at ctxplantrescuers@gmail.com. They’re part of Central Texas Plant Rescuers, a local volunteer group (insured and trained!) that works with homeowners and developers to rescue native plants before construction starts.
They move thousands of plants, including a few rare and threatened ones, to new homes in backyards, pollinator gardens, and nature preserves around Travis and Hays counties.

See some of their work.