LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Arbor Day is Friday, a day when tree planting and tree care are promoted.
Trees play a large role in reducing carbon and improving communities, making neighborhoods more attractive.
Arborist Kevin Ibarra has worked in Las Vegas for 10 years and said over the past few years, he’s seen thousands of valley trees stressed or dying.
“We don’t really have very many trees in comparison to other places in the country,” Ibarra said.
Heat, the removal of grass for area homes, and the water restrictions are all taking their toll. Rocks or synthetic grass are one way of saving water, but they also create a new headache.
“Which is bringing up the heat island effect and just heating everything,” Ibarra said.
The solution
On this Arbor Day 2026, there is a solution.
“If you’re going to convert your grass, convert it to a more desert-tolerant landscape and just plan for the future,” Ibarra said.
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Forty years ago, a water shortage wasn’t an issue. Lake Mead was full. People were planting trees from other areas not indigenous to the climate. Now, with all the environmental changes, many of those trees are dying because of the lack of water and watering restrictions.
A tree that does very well in the Las Vegas climate is a Red Push Pistache. It is lush and green and provides shade.
Caring for existing trees
There is a fix, according to Ibarra. There are lots of desert-appropriate trees that can be planted today that, in a few years, will provide shade, something the desert lacks. But that is going to take time because new trees need to grow.
As for existing trees that are still alive, the best way to keep them, according to Ibarra, is creating a ring around the trees and deep watering, which would allow water to seep into the ground. That way, the trees can get the much-needed moisture to survive.
“You can also hire a service to come out and deep water your trees a few times during the summer,” Ibarra said.
Ibarra said he would like to see more people going out and enjoying their gardens, planting new trees for their future generations and taking care of their existing trees.
Arbor Day was first celebrated in 1872 in the state of Nebraska before it was officially proclaimed in 1874.
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