The Historic Westside, one of the oldest communities in Las Vegas, is witnessing a troubling increase of dying trees.
Residents like 57-year-old Timothy Hicks point to the withered trees around the neighborhood, noting a significant decline in the area’s greenery over the years.
“You see how that knuckle, that ball right there looks like it’s got a fungus? That tree is being eaten on the inside, so it’s slowly dying,” Hicks remarked while observing the decaying foliage outside his home.
Climate scientists identify Las Vegas as the nation’s second-fastest warming city, and the Historic Westside is particularly suffering from a lack of trees that used to provide essential shade and cooling.
Marco Velotta, the chief sustainability officer for Las Vegas, explains that while Midwestern cities boast around 20 percent tree cover, areas in the western United States hover between 13 and 19 percent.
In stark contrast, the Historic Westside reports less than 9 percent tree cover.
Hicks reminisced about his childhood, describing a more vibrant landscape filled with gardens and diverse vegetation.
“I grew up with a garden right here in Vegas,” he shared, recalling tomatoes, onions, and squash that once thrived in the neighborhood.
Over the decades, many trees were cut down due to various crises, including a pollen problem from mulberry trees and the destructive search for water by tree roots.
Moreover, Hicks highlighted a shift in the city’s landscaping approach, stating that as desert-adapted plants gained favor, lush greenery made way for “rock and pavement.”
This transformation, he believes, has left the city with a hotter climate.
“Now, the city is hot,” Hicks stated. “It’s like a hotbed now, with all this desert landscaping.”
Residents attribute the deterioration of many trees in their area to stringent water restrictions.
“The cost of water plus limits to how much and when they can water prevents them from caring for their trees adequately,” Hicks explained.
Bronson Mack, outreach coordinator at the Southern Nevada Water Authority, asserts that these restrictions shouldn’t hinder homeowners from maintaining their desert-adapted trees, particularly when using drip irrigation systems.
However, Mack noted that climate change has rendered some trees planted in the valley unable to survive in the increasingly harsh environmental conditions.
“It’s getting hotter; it’s getting dry,” he acknowledged.
He outlined the challenges faced by previously viable tree species as the area’s climate continues to evolve.
Mack explained that damage to tree roots could occur during property renovations, which may also contribute to the decline of trees.
In a broader perspective, many U.S. households typically plant cool-season grasses in their lawns, which are often less suited for dry environments and demand more water.
Las Vegas has enacted stringent measures since 2022, banning the installation of grass and spray irrigation systems on properties constructed during that period, with few exceptions.
Mack emphasized that both Bermuda grass and fescue grass, regardless of their seasonal adaptation, are still highly water-intensive.
The city’s goal for recent years has been to focus on trees and other drought-resistant plants.
However, temperatures during the night, especially in a desert environment, pose significant challenges for plants.
Dale Devitt, a professor at UNLV and director of the Center for Urban Water Conservation, explained the issue of urban heat retention.
“The asphalt is releasing heat; the concrete is releasing heat; the buildings are releasing heat, and so it’s getting warmer and warmer at night,” he stated.
Devitt suggested that planting additional trees could help mitigate this heat problem.
Trees not only provide essential shade but also cool the environment through a biological process known as transpiration.
He elaborated on this, explaining that as water transitions from liquid to vapor, energy is absorbed, thus providing a cooling effect.
In neighborhoods like the Historic Westside, the combination of reduced tree cover and increased temperatures can lead to serious health risks, especially during Southern Nevada’s severe summer heat.
So far this year, at least three individuals in the region have died with heat as a contributing factor.
Fortunately, efforts to increase urban tree cover are underway.
Initiatives focus on planting desert-adapted trees, particularly in underserved areas like the Historic Westside.
Devitt leads an UNLV program funded by a $5 million federal grant, aiming to plant around 3,000 trees in neighborhoods lacking sufficient tree cover and to educate residents on tree care.
This program also recruits local residents from economically depressed neighborhoods to train as future arborists.
The city itself has a goal of planting 60,000 trees by 2050, with approximately 1,200 already planted in 2024 alone.
Velotta noted that significant emphasis is placed on neighborhoods suffering from low tree coverage, including parts of east Las Vegas and the Historic Westside.
About a year ago, dozens of desert-adapted trees were planted along D Street and Jackson Avenue with underground irrigation systems to ensure their survival.
As these new trees mature, Velotta anticipates that they will foster a more inviting and walkable environment.
The future vision for the city includes achieving a 20 percent tree coverage overall, ensuring resilience against ongoing climate challenges.
The trees planted by the city are expected to withstand future temperature increases as climate conditions evolve.
Furthermore, the Southern Nevada Water Authority stipulates that when properties renovate and replace their grass, they must opt for similarly desert-adapted vegetation and implement drip irrigation systems.
“We have gone from being a city in the desert to being a desert city,” Mack concluded, encapsulating the profound changes the region has undergone in response to climatic shifts.
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