LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Thousands of trees continue to die across the Las Vegas Valley amid climate change and the drought, and that has raised concerns among residents and one prominent local tree expert.
FOX5 has continued to cover the issue as residents across the Valley voice concerns: what can be done to save these trees?
Lisa Ortega spearheads Nevada Plants as its executive director and board-certified Master Arborist, working with municipalities across Southern Nevada to plant thousands of drought-resistant trees.
Ortega points out the concerning trend in Northeast Valley neighborhoods and beyond. “I see a lot of dead trees. It always really worries me. The ones I see are 20, 30% of our canopy. That’s a lot of shade gone,” Ortega said.
Many dead trees are left standing and can fall, cause fires during fireworks season, or become neighborhood eyesores. Trees are expensive to remove and large dead trees can cost a homeowner thousands, Ortega said.
Trees are critical to maintain good air quality, support nature and provide critical shade to cool the ground. FOX5 has reported on the efforts to combat the “heat island” effect across the Valley: the ground is notably warmer in communities with fewer trees and greenery.
“I know we’re planting trees, but the trees that are really small, it’s going to take some time,” Ortega said.
Summer temperatures continue to remain above average, and in 2025, Southern Nevada only received 2.05″ of rain.
FOX5 has reported that many “legacy” trees that once thrived in Southern Nevada will probably not survive the worsening drought.
“We’ve got the ash trees, the pine trees, African sumac, purple leaf plum… and the list really does go on. So even if you’re watering, sometimes there’s nothing you can do. It gets too hot, creates scorch, and the beetles come in, finish it off,” she said.
“There’s some trees out there that are worth saving,” Ortega said.
By 2027, businesses and residential communities must remove “non-functional turf”: grass that has no recreational value. Assembly Bill 356, passed in 2021, mandates that no water from the Colorado River can irrigate non-functional, decorative grass.
Residents have voiced concerns over the visible aftermath: after grass is removed, some surrounding trees and plants may quickly die.
“Could we get a waiver on turf grass if we’ve got some phenomenal trees? We need to keep them and they’re worth the water,” Ortega said, in an effort to mitigate the heat island. She plans to voice her suggestions in front of the next Las Vegas Valley Water District meeting.
FOX5 asked the Southern Nevada Water Authority about Ortega’s questions. Bronson Mack pointed out that many trees lack critical irrigation during a landscape conversion. The Southern Nevada Water Authority has a guide for protecting trees during conversions.
“Certainly when you are making changes to grass landscapes, there is the potential for impacts to the urban heat island. This is why we require that, when grass is replaced in our Water Smart Landscape Program, that that grass be replaced with trees and plants that provide 50% canopy coverage,” Mack said to FOX5 in August.
“We need to protect those legacy trees that we have here within our Valley, but we also need to be thinking about succession plans for those trees that aren’t going to adapt to our higher, hotter climate in the future,” he said.
Mack tells FOX5 Friday, many of those species that are not drought-resistant will not survive for much longer in worsening heat, even if non-functional turf was maintained.
“Just a local warning. If you’ve got an ash tree and you’re converting your turf…You might as well get rid of it. Also, if you’re, also if you’ve got fake turf, the artificial turf, and you have, you can’t put that around all the roots. So you can do other things to save water and then kill your tree,” Ortega said.
Can you save a dying tree? Early detection is key, Ortega said.
“As soon as you start seeing yellowing, dropping, or especially when the leaves are still on, or a pine tree when it’s like bright red, that means it died real fast. It’s time to investigate, time to see if there’s enough water in your soil. It’s time to start checking those kind of things,” she said.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority has a incentive for residents with grass: residents can get $100 for every new tree installed when grass is removed. Mack said that the programs urge installation of trees that are adapted to the desert climate.
The Springs Preserve offers an affordable desert-adapted plants sale for locals on September 20. Click here for details: Autumn Sale
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
