Maas Verde Builds ‘Nature’ Playground for Curious Young Learners

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At St. George’s Episcopal School, a playground overhaul was overdue. When the school approached Maas Verde, our designers knew this would be a big project — the existing grounds covered over two acres, but fell short of inspiring, with outdated play fixtures and degraded surfaces.

Administrators at St. George’s, a nonprofit preschool planted in Austin’s landmark Cherrywood neighborhood, were eager to see long-deferred plans become reality. The earliest drawings to redesign the playground dated to the mid-2010s.

The project’s eventual success owes principally to one woman with a strong background in early childhood education and nature play — Jerri Thompson, St. George’s Head of School. Thompson has devoted her 40-year career to helping children learn through curated exposure to nature.

a female teacher points to a play structureJerri Thompson, Head of School at St. George’s Episcopal.

St. George’s didn’t want just any playground. Students from 3 months old through pre-kindergarten develop skills from problem-solving, creative thinking, math and science education, and even negotiation skills both on a curriculum basis and independently on the updated school grounds.

Thompson explained that learning through nature, with appropriate safety measures in place, is critical to this growth.

“Any school that I’ve worked in, I’ve always been interested in making the outdoors part of our curriculum. This is the most updated methodology in early childhood [education] — create a welcoming space that calls to children, is safe, and is a learning environment,” she said.

Experts Join Forces

Prepared to make a big investment, St. George’s sought a contractor they could count on. Maas Verde was prepared to meet the challenge with its in-house natural playground designer, Marc Opperman.

Opperman brought more than a decade of playground design experience, including specialty knowledge of safety certifications, to the job site.

He saw the unique potential to showcase his and Maas Verde’s abilities at St. George, which was mostly a blank slate. “There were pieces of a comprehensive design that had been drawn by me, pieces that had been drawn by others — but nothing complete,” Opperman explained.

But Opperman had interfaced closely with Thompson, who held a vision for St. George’s playground in detail that was both foundational and intimate.

“Without the right ideas and resources, ‘natural play’ situations can turn into yards with makeshift structures and scattered toys,” Thompson said. “Marc saw my vision, and understood it and the safety requirements.”

tree with pergola in background

St. George’s outdoor space breaks down into four main areas: three playgrounds designed for kids in different age brackets, and an entryway area with a fountain (and eventually, Thompson plans, a sculpture garden).

Concept and Implementation

Meeting the school’s expectations and communicating them to the Maas Verde crew raised a creative challenge.

Spoiler alert: The team measured up to it. Starting the first excavation work in mid-March, Maas Verde spent the next eight weeks working on site daily. The final transformation featured log-and-lumber pergolas, log climbing structures, lawns and drainage swales, multiple new trees, shrubs, and planting areas, and even fountains — that all met playground safety regulations.

two creatively-shaped fountains

“Before we started, it had the feel of something made in the ‘70s — it was kind of neglected. Now, it’s not only updated but it’s also got all these natural materials,” Opperman said.

As the design and its key elements took shape, Maas Verde measured out fall zones for play structures including climbing equipment and swingsets. Opperman chose natural materials that met standards, instead of synthetic options. Borders along the playground’s multiple walkways and features are Juniper logs instead of commonly-used segmented plastic edging. And vertical structures like the logs for climbing (fitted with real, commercial-grade resin climbing holds) were tooled for safety: edges chamfered to keep noggins safe and surfaces that could break a fall but still create a consequence.

a pergola with climbing structure logs, and stump steps leading to a sand pit

The toddler climbing structure is a set of ramp-like cedar logs bolted with industrial-grade resin holds. The structure starts in a pergola-shaded sandpit and ascends a gentle slope. As kids climb up, they build critical upper-body strength as well as confidence. If they fall off, they’ll feel it, Thompson said — but there’s no serious injury risk.

Two cambered “race tracks” function the same way. Toddlers and infants race toy vehicles down the slopes, tightening their cores and honing their spatial reasoning. Runout zones are grass and mulch berms.

a woman walking on playground "race tracks"

The concept is “risky play.” Given age-appropriate risks, kids are free to make their own choices — rather than being told “no” without understanding why.

To reduce those “no’s” and improve overall safety, artificial surfaces and exhausted fixtures came out. Maas Verde removed astroturf and rubber bumpers surrounding a playscape, replacing it with a mulch bed and the site’s signature log borders. A shade sail that was supposed to protect one area of the infant playground had failed, so a pergola replaced it. And bright white play sand replaced gravely, gritty mixtures in pits. 

‘The Vision’ of a Considerable Career

With any install this big and comprehensive, unforeseen challenges lurk. Maas Verde found hundreds of square feet of unexpected concrete and asphalt buried deep beneath the existing turf. For 12 pallets of sod and dozens of plantings to propagate and thrive, it all had to go.

A drainage flaw surfaced during one heavy rain. In it, water pooled on the playground surface and backflowed toward the main school complex. Maas Verde pivoted on the fly, redrawing plans to build in a grassy swale that would redirect the water back toward absorbent areas of the playground.

log and lumber pergola shading grassy swale (foreground) and sidewalks (background)

Maas Verde also needed to integrate one big, existing feature into the design: a 25-foot-long creek that runs on a solar-powered pump. Built prior to Maas Verde’s involvement, it’s central to the “big kid” playground but grows weeds prolifically and creates its own drainage challenge. Maas Verde adopts the feature along with the maintenance plan. Far outweighing its imperfections with its character and utility, it puts an exclamation point on the space at large.

“The creek is such a great tool,” Thompson said. “Kids love water, and here, they actually control it.” Functioning hand pumps feed it up to an inch deep, and kids can float leaf “boats,” balance on bridges across it, and monitor plant life.

a constructed creek with naturally-designed suspension bridge in the background

Carefully-chosen plantings complete the design. Plants should be visually stimulating but tough enough to survive inquisitive, tumbling toddlers.

Kids are also resourceful, Thompson pointed out — left to their own devices, they’ll eat anything. Especially a bright-colored, pungent flower. That’s why Thompson’s staff teaches their students to use their “science eyes” and “science ears,” she said. Not everything is for touching.

In Thompson’s considerable career, the project is a capstone.

“For me, this is the vision of my entire career. Schools are clamoring to install things like these, and you can see why,” Thompson said, then drew my attention to the students.

As Opperman and a crew member troubleshot faulty irrigation heads, children watched with quiet interest. Suddenly, one head popped off its tubing, and a geyser broke forth.

“Remember how much they like water? Watch this,” Thompson said, smiling.

At the plastic tables surrounding the spectacle, not one three-to-five year old screamed, ran toward the action, or even stood up from their seat.

two irrigation professionals perform work in front of crowds of children

They just observed it all — “science eyes” wide open.

Solving Balmorhea’s Bewildering, Buried Irrigation Puzzle

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Maintenance staff at Balmorhea State Park were hunting a subterranean ghost.

A 12-zone irrigation system that covered thousands of square feet snaked below most of the distinctive West Texas property. As designed, it sent water to the park’s wide network of plant life and multi-use areas, from ocotillo and cottonwood to sprawling grass picnic lawns.

The extensive system utilized equipment and piping on a scale that rivaled a typical golf course. But unknown causes were keeping it from fulfilling its intended outcomes.

balmorhea state park pool, overhead viewBalmorhea State Park, home to the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. Photo: Wiki Commons

Park Superintendent Torrey Bonham was hard at work diagnosing the problem but found details hard to come by.

“It was put in many years ago and as previous superintendents retired, a lot of the knowledge was lost. That’s why we were struggling to rectify the issues,” Bonham said.

Balmorhea’s Background

The need to get the job done was obvious. Balmorhea State Park lies in a particularly scorching pocket of West Texas. The San Salomon Springs, which now feed the pool, used to naturally irrigate the area with a system of streams and cienegas. But when the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the pool in the 1930s, it re-channeled the natural water source. The diversion essentially made irrigation a necessity for the native and adapted species around the park.

Not to mention the grass. By 2022, the soft grass beds that covered the lawns where visitors picnicked and relaxed were dying under the scorching West Texas heat.

The State Park is an unequivocal gem. It attracts a diverse array of visitors from all over the country, and draws important tourist funding into the local economy. It’s also a safe haven for a wide range of wildlife, from birds like the Great Blue Heron and the American Coot to pupfish and softshell turtles.

the balmorhea state park welcome sign and a constructed canal

Bonham worked to settle the issue, fast.

Urgent Scope Leads the Way

Maas Verde irrigation techs not only accepted the challenging assignment of an extensive diagnostic and repair at the park, but began the scope with one urgent line item.

A Texas nonprofit had planted several trees alongside the pool’s central walkway, in anticipation of an upcoming fundraiser. The donated plantings, installed in cooperation with the State Park, were now withering in the desert soil without water. There was a week to go until the event.

Maas Verde mobilized from its Austin headquarters with its best irrigation technicians and no time to spare.

An expedited diagnostic revealed several problems that stemmed from work by previous contractors. First, workers who had planted the trees had evidently cut buried pipes and made no effort to repair them.

A different company began another scope of work by replacing the system controller — but replaced it with a unit that was below commercial grade. Next, they installed around 100 feet of light-duty PVC, which led to a junction near the new trees and a few failed bubbler heads.

That was as far as Maas Verde traced their progress. The work was incompatible with the existing system, but also buried squarely in the way of any remediation.

an irrigation dig site

Beyond these functional issues, the system’s original design was an enigma.

Troubleshooting and Repairs

Maas Verde president and founder Ted Maas led the company’s first, ambitious mobilization to the site. A seasoned landscape technician with Master Irrigator course experience, Maas understood right away that his team was facing a perplexing task.

“Immediately I realize, there is so much going on with this system that none of us can know. We’re trying to get an idea of what this thing looks like underground. I’m getting information from multiple channels, and some of it’s conflicting,” Maas explained.

As Bonham worked to organize information and reconcile reports, Maas Verde blitzed the priority list. The company first made a plan to irrigate the struggling new trees. Running a new zone that bypassed the various damaged and partially functional components would be the best practice.

trenching equipment and a finished trench at the park

Sourcing compatible-sized PVC and valves from Odessa (a 90-minute drive away), the team got to work. Tasks included trenching to spec, boring underneath a concrete sidewalk, checking connections, and completing the new zone with componentry.

Maas Verde logged overtime each day to complete the project on schedule, to a satisfactory result.

But that was just the beginning.

Several months of periodic visits ensued, as the team worked to make sense of the rest of the system and trace underground faults. The faults seemed to multiply; because the technicians could only locate the next electrical failure or pipe leak by tracing it downstream from the last one, the work required diligence and patience.

a valve, and irrigation worker digging in the ground

Criss-crossing components representing years of layering work made diagnostics and repairs more puzzling. A contractor had inexplicably cut wires and buried them inches outside a valve box, but connected the wrong wires inside; A heavy equipment operator had destroyed several feet of pipe with an excavator but buried it without a trace; miswired solenoids had shorted out and no longer operated.

Eureka! System Finally Works

Maas Verde worked methodically. Finally, technicians excavated an old valve buried in an obscure location below several inches of natural turf. It proved to be the last missing link in the system. The team incorporated it into the system, confirmed each zone operated from the controller, and concluded the project.

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Prior to Maas Verde’s involvement, one other contractor had made marginal progress. That company repaired a few mainline breaks and diagnosed some non-communicating solenoids, but fell short of the full repair.

Once Texas Parks and Wildlife awarded a contract to Maas Verde, Bonham had added the last phone number to his list on the project.

Bonham complimented Mass on their “attention to detail, and willingness to get it done. When we ran into zones not working and so forth, it was really Maas Verde’s commitment to staying behind its word that set it apart and ultimately got the job done.”

How To Water Your Trees in a Drought 

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Watering trees can seem perplexing. While most of us are used to irrigating lawns, gardens, and potted plants, a tree can look like a bigger project. But now that most of Central Texas’ trees are far thirstier than usual, effective watering matters that much more. 

For instance, did you know it’s more important to water some trees from the dripline outward than at the trunk? 

As always, Maas Verde’s experts are ready to take any and all arbor inquiries. In the meantime, here’s our list of best practices for watering your trees during dry seasons. 

Always water slowly and deeply for the best results.  

Superficial watering like what you accomplish with a hose-end sprinkler is ok for trees, but they need more to thrive. Just like any plant, trees will reach deeper into the soil to source water farther below ground if they’re dry. 

If you’re using a hose, try turning the water pressure down to penetrate more deeply without disturbing the soil surface. If you have an irrigation system, bubbler heads work best for trees. 

Water for survival, not maximum growth.

During dry conditions, watering your trees should prioritize survival, which can look a little gnarly. 

You’ve probably noticed lots of leaves dropping early this summer. It’s not necessarily a death knell. In many cases, the plant is implementing a survival strategy. 

Basically, more leaves mean thirstier plants. The reason for this is transpiration, a moisture exchange process that dictates a tree’s leaf load in response to water availability. When a tree drops its leaves, it can be preparing to go dormant to save water — not die. 

a mexican sycamore in two stages of progressing dormancyA Mexican sycamore (Platanus mexicana) in two stages of dormancy. Photos were taken approx. one month apart.

To spot the difference, monitor canopy thickness and browning patterns on the leaves. A tree approaching dormancy will usually thin out and start showing patchy leaves. A dying tree will typically turn brown all at once.

(If you’re not sure which is which, we’re here to help.)

Established trees need water at the dripline — not the trunk. 

It can seem counterintuitive, but you don’t necessarily need to water trees older than saplings at the trunk.

Instead, start at the dripline (the edge of the leaf canopy) and work your way outward. 

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You can’t create root growth without telling the roots where to go. Any plant will grow toward its water source. If that source is right at its base, radiating growth will be slow. 

Maas Verde consults on any arbor or irrigation project of any size and scope. Keeping Central Texas trees healthy is in our DNA.

Austin’s Toxic Algae is Back Again, and Synthetic Fertilizers Aren’t Helping

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We’re all used to the routine by now: As summer swelters on, huge green rafts of algae pop up all over Austin’s signature waterways. They grow and multiply until soon, the city makes an announcement: Tests have shown this blue green algae (or cyanobacteria) is toxic, and we all need to steer clear.

It’s happened each year since 2019, when several dog deaths triggered closer investigation.

To its credit, the city has since taken action to not only study the blooms, but cut them down to size. Over five years, $300,000 of taxpayer money will fund a chemical treatment applied to waters from Lake Austin to Red Bud Isle and beyond.

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Its objective: Cut off algal blooms’ supply of phosphorus, and other nutrients the plants thrive on.

“Nutrients plants thrive on” — sound familiar?

It sure does to Maas Verde. Phosphorus is a major ingredient in virtually every synthetic fertilizer available.

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City officials have linked the algae’s recent proliferation in Lady Bird Lake to zebra mussels and climate change. But one way we can take matters into our own hands is right outside our front door.

Native and adapted plants don’t need synthetic fertilizers to live like many non-natives and turfgrasses do. And non-erosive landscapes designed around Central Texas natives like Turks cap (Malvaviscus arboreus), flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus), and woodland sedge (Carex blanda) can root deeply to retain soil and control sedimentation.

flame acanthus (left) and Eastern sedge (right)

Plantings of flame acanthus (A. quadrifidus) and woodland sedge (C. blanda). Photo: Maas Verde

In any landscape, plants are the first line of defense against soil erosion and water runoff. In any heavy rain (or artificial drainage event such as residential irrigation), roots in the soil slow down and capture water on its way downhill toward the water table.

a graphic showing the benefits of native plant communities versus conventional turfgrass lawns

Illustration: National Wildlife Federation

For a more drought-resistant landscape that helps keep Austin’s water healthy, contact Maas Verde today.

The 5 Best Reasons To Replace Your Turfgrass with Native Plants

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Chances are, you or someone you know has spent the summer nursing shallow-rooted grasses through the deep Central Texas drought. Every time you turn the spigot on to irrigate your struggling lawn, your water bill swells up that much more.

But there’s plenty more upside to ditching your turfgrass for a native plant community. Switching to hearty, colorful natives can help the environment and yield dividends all at once.

Plant natives, save time and money, and support pollinators. Check out our top 5 reasons to ditch your grass.

1. Save Money

lawn sprinklers in the sun

All that airborne spray is money disappearing into thin air. (Or in Central Texas, really, really thick air.) Native plants need up to 80% less water than non-natives, as the City of Georgetown points out. Plant natives and slash you water bill, mow-and-blow service, and pesticide use.

2. Get Money

a woman fanning out hundred dollar bills

The City of Austin issues rebates to homeowners who convert turfgrass lawns. Take it from Maas Verde Project Manager John Harris — he claimed one himself. “You literally take a picture, fill out a form, and send it in.” Boom, $1,750.

3. Support Pollinators

a bee inside a yellow flower

Native plants provide nectar for pollinators like hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and even bats! Without pollinators, we would lose fruits such as coffee. Yes, coffee.

4. Create a Landscape that Lasts

seeding buffalo grass

Droughts kill plants with shallow roots like St. Augustine or Fescue grass. But it only stresses natives like Buffalo grass, which can reach deeper into the soil to survive long dry spells.

5. Win Curb Appeal

a front yard garden blooming with yellow flowers

Yards pop when they’re planted with collections of vibrant, colorful native plants. The landscaping at your home or business can become a point of pride and a conversation starter.

Convert your lawn with Maas Verde today!

Want a Stronger Lawn? Then Stop Mowing and Watering So Much

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Last week, an amazing thing happened in Austin. If you were looking out the window, maybe you saw it. Or if you’re a tough customer and you were standing outside, maybe you even felt it on your skin.

It was fleeting but it happened. I wouldn’t report it if I didn’t know it, because I could barely believe it myself. And I only know it because I was there.

It rained.

grassblades with water dropletsPhoto: Sadie-Michaela Harris, WordPress

It’s great that the Austin area received scattered rain early last week. But what’s not great is that this sparse rainfall turned anyone’s head at all.

Depending on where you live in greater Austin or beyond, you’re locked in severe to extreme drought (per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). And there’s no end in sight. Virtually every community in the surrounding area has implemented water restrictions by this point in the summer.

The upshot is, a lot of us see flat brown lawns baking in the sun when we look out our windows. But conventional care will likely harm your grass, given this weather and these irrigation constraints.

Still, there’s good news. Maas Verde knows a simple Texas two step for stronger grass, healthier soil, and more resilient plant communities.

a blade of green grass among dead thatchLife finds a way. See the green?

Here’s how to help your grass survive the dog days.

Water Deeply

No matter what kind of grass you have, it needs deep roots to grow. Water should penetrate to a depth of six inches or more.

If you set up a hose-end sprinkler in the hottest part of the day and let it rip, water droplets will burn off in midair on their way to the ground.

That hurts your pocket, but what hurts your grass comes next. Even the water that reaches the soil won’t penetrate far before thirsty roots get to it.

Superficial watering will trigger your grass to grow shallow roots, not deep ones. And when plants experience drought stress, reaching deeper is one of their key survival adaptations.

Your grass needs some drought stress to stimulate healthy root growth.

live oaks shade grass alongside a drivewayDappled shade and tall enough grass is a recipe for success.

Water-deprived plants release a hormone called Abscisic Acid (ABA). Prolonged ABA production triggers a process that helps the plant (grass or otherwise) retain its water and seek other hydration sources.

Most grasses begin this process by changing the anatomy of their blades. Tiny pores in the blade called stomata close, and the cuticle (or blade surface) thickens. ABA then stimulates the roots to grow deeper, reaching for moisture further underground.

Cut Your Grass Tall or Leave Your Mower Parked

Grass blades are leaves; the plant can’t photosynthesize without plenty of leaf area. Cut 1/3 of the blade or less, or none at all.

If your grass looks too high, consider this: like trees, what’s above the ground mirrors what’s below. In fact, roots can account for ⅔ of a grass plant’s total biomass. You’ll want it tall if you want healthy, deep-rooted grass that retains and enriches your soil.

grass growing in a lot from bare soilTall blades do better even in poor soil.

And when you do run a machine over your yard, do the ecosystem and your wallet a favor and leave the clippings and thatch on the ground.

Thatch is that brown, dead or dormant material that can rest on top of the soil, below the green blade tips. It’s free fertilizer, and so are grass clippings.

Unless dead plant matter somehow makes it into soil, that area will lack vital nutrients. You can add nutrients back into soil either by spreading fertilizer onto it or allowing decomposition to take place on its own.

Nitrogen is the key to the process. Unless there’s plenty of this elemental gas in the soil for grass to absorb, diseases can spread, and your lawn can wither and die.

Nitrogen is a main ingredient in almost any commercial fertilizer you can buy. It also comes from thatch and grass clippings. So do other key plant nutrients like potassium and phosphates.

So why bag and trash your free sources of them?

dead grass in midsummerThatch layers promote nutrient cycling, helping grass survive even the driest months.

Maas Verde project manager and resident Master Naturalist Marc Opperman summed it up.

“There is a nutrient balance being negotiated in any plant community,” Opperman explained, adding that Maas Verde advises biodiverse alternatives to single-species lawns. “If you’re lacking nutrients like nitrogen, several adverse outcomes could result. It sets the lawn up for disease, or you could see patchiness or discoloration. On the other hand, if it’s all balanced, you’re going to have a uniform carpet of whatever species you’ve got in its full color and thickness.”

Extreme Heat Stresses Texas Trees; Our Arborists Reveal Three Top Tips

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From last winter’s damaging ice storms to this summer’s exceptional heat, we’re all experiencing unusual stress. For a lot of us humans, it’s soaring A/C bills and irritating inflation. But other species face different kinds of pressure.

For Central Texas’ trees, it’s been an especially rough year. Whether native, adapted, or otherwise, woody plant species throughout the Austin area have been showing Maas Verde’s arborists that they’re strained.

a redbud branch with one green leaf among wilted leaves

Our founder and president, Ted Maas, didn’t have to look any further than his backyard to see the latest evidence. A substantial cedar elm growing in the southeast corner of the property seemed perfectly healthy and 30-50 years old. It had survived the winter storms without visible damage.

Then under the unrelenting heat dome this July, it started to turn yellow. That initial change in color and a wilting leaf structure tipped Maas off to the tree’s stress. It was conserving water, but under strain.

a yellowing cedar elm branch overhangs a privacy fence

Maas has spent enough time in the climbing harness to identify a tree that needs special care. Though removing limbs was a last resort, it eventually became the only option to maintain public safety on the adjacent road.

Your favorite trees may also be fatigued under this year’s especially scorching Texas sun. And Maas Verde’s in-house experts are here to help them survive the long haul.

An arborist climbing a tree for trimming

With a tree care philosophy that goes beyond grooming or limbing, Maas Verde seeks to promote long-term health in each tree we work with.

‘Lifting’ Limbs

To open a canopy, we won’t just remove low limbs — we’ll look at each limb carefully, then thin it to unburden it.

“It’s usually possible to ‘lift’ a limb rather than take it out,” Maas explains. “Arborists can look for overburdened areas, stems that are growing unhealthily, or dead hangers to remove weight. Sometimes, all you need to do is lighten the load.”

The best trimmers also know how to identify what kind of cut to make depending on which one of the two classifications of limb they’re looking at: a branch, or a co-dominant stem. The two structures have radically different growth tendencies, and it’s important to cut each one the right way to promote healing.

Finally, we apply sealing paint on each live oak and red oak cut during oak wilt season to stop the spread of the fungal disease.

Ground Control

Another commonly misunderstood area of a tree is its base. Most tree species have a distinct structure that marks the bottom of the trunk and the top of the root mass. It’s called the root flare, and to the trained eye, it’s generally visible in the form of a change in bark pattern.

a grove of trees showing root flares

It’s important to understand that conditions on the ground surrounding this area is key to the tree’s health.

For instance, make sure the root flare is exposed to the air, and not covered with mulch. If your tree looks like a fencepost or stick stuck in the ground, dig it out.

As a worst case scenario, the soil can begin to mound up, meaning the tree is trying to fall down. The roots could be decomposing underground, and the tree could need re-rooting.

Various fungal growths can appear on a tree trunk. One Kretzschmaria deusta growth at the base of a hackberry, also in Maas’s backyard, indicated that the tree was likely not only strained, but dying on the spot. It was only a matter of time before it fell over, so our crews removed it promptly.

black fungus growing near a tree's base

In all installs and maintenance projects, Maas Verde works to promote tree health from the ground up.

Rooted to the (Right) Spot

If you’re starting from scratch with a brand new yard or landscape, Maas Verde can also help make sure you’ve got the right tree for your space. We prefer to work with native species and often do, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle.

A small red oak planted in a side yard

“Temperature and moisture will always be critical” to a tree’s adaptation to its specific area, Maas advises.

Different trees grow better under deep shade or full sun; thick clay or sandy loam. A nearby water source like a creek could clearly effect growth. And planting near buried gas or water lines can lead to problems later. Similarly, so can planting a tall, canopy tree under a utility line.

Finally, consider other tree species in your area. Maas Verde always promotes biodiversity, so we typically plant compatible but different species in areas with heavy populations of another specific tree.

Maas Verde remains committed to fostering long-term resource security for our clients and community. With expert plant and tree care no matter the weather, we’re here to help you and your landscape thrive.

Here’s Why Land Management is so Critical in Texas

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Land management is super critical for the ecology of our beautiful state, and the onus is on private land owners, and we want to help you!

Did you know that 97% (+/-) of the State of Texas is privately owned?

Why is land management so challenging and what are the opportunities? The agriculture and ranching culture has been an important part of land ownership in Texas. As the scientific discipline of ecology has emerged over the last five plus decades, the idea and practice of being a “land steward” has become more commonplace. 

The three quotes below from Aldo Leopold, a renowned naturalist, philosopher, and ecologist showcase how important it is for humans to respect our local ecology.  

“Individual ethics is the basis of land conservation. It is hard to make a man do a thing which does not spring naturally from his own personal sense of right and wrong.”

“A land ethic reflects the existence of an ecological conscience.”

“Conservation can accomplish its objectives only when it springs from an impelling conviction on the part of the private landowners.”

Being a land steward is more than just trying to bring back native grasses on an overgrazed piece of property. It is a set of ethics and morals one lives their life. Land management is a life-long, multi-generational commitment to promoting biodiversity, ecological resilience, and ensuring the security of ecosystem services for all biological life. 

As a landscape management firm, we at Maas Verde do our best to uphold these values in our personal and professional lives. 

Some of the services we provide in the area of land management are the following.

  • Maintain 1-D-1 Wildlife Management Plans to maintain a property owner’s property tax valuation
  • Implement and document land management activities to achieve desired outcomes
  • Assist in green infrastructure construction and maintenance
  • Wildlife and plant surveys

Have any questions about land management, please feel free to drop us an email at te*@*******de.com

 

Consider This Before You Trim Your Trees

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Hey property owners!  We love trees and being a part of maintaining and growing a healthy urban canopy. Did you know that the national average for damages to homes during inclement weather is $8,296?  Ensuring the health of a tree is critical for its survival during severe storms and protecting your property. 

Trees play a critical role in our urban environment (especially in Central Texas) for maintaining temperatures in the summer, storing carbon dioxide, erosion control, wildlife and aesthetics value for humans. It is estimated that Austinites save on average $18.9 million annually on their energy bill (USDA). The same United States Department of Agriculture study found that of the 33.8 million trees within the City of Austin, the most common tree types are ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei), cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia), sugarberry (Celtis), and Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana). 

Trees need proper care and maintenance so they do not spread disease or risk infection. Some trees, such as live oaks and red oaks, are susceptible to oak wilt. The City of Austin requires these two species of trees to only be trimmed July 1 – January 31, as that is when oak wilt is less active. For most all other species of Texas trees, they can be selectively trimmed at any time of year.

There are a variety of reasons why a tree might need to be trimmed:

  1. The tree is invasive and is non-native and should be removed
  2. The tree is causing foundational/structural/roof damage to the house or other buildings
  3. To prevent the spread of tree diseases
  4. Removal of dead limbs to prevent potential safety hazards

Tree trimming done improperly can expose the tree to disease. Trimmed limbs on live oaks and red oaks require a sealant to prevent infection.  Improperly trimmed trees can also be detrimental to their overall health, which is why it is always recommended to contact an expert. At Maas Verde, we are conservative with tree trimming to ensure the trees overall, long-term health.  Tree trimming should be a multi-year maintenance effort, which better ensures the long-term health of the tree.  

Tree cabling and other techniques can also be used for trees as they age to help ensure they survive heavy wind and rain events and to protect its structural integrity.  When we are on site for tree trimming, we also pay attention to details such as making sure root collars are properly exposed, and look at the entirety of the site to assess the health of an individual tree. 

Invasive species cost the US over $137 billion annually, so it is important to bring in an expert to reduce costs for invasive species removal.  Both Chinaberry, ligustrum and Chinese Tallow, to name a few, are common in Central Texas and are just a few of the non-native, invasive species that can cause damage, prevent the growth of our native trees and outcompete other critical native plants.

The Mite Destroying Our Plants

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Landscape maintenance is crucial in preventing the spread of diseases like rose rosette disease, which is a virus spread by a very small mite. Symptoms of this disease include a thickened, abnormally thorny stem, crinkled & shortened red leaves, and multiple reddened stems growing out of one node, leading to a bunching/dense cluster, which is an indicator of the virus.

Plant health is important to Maas Verde and our clients and this disease is lethal to roses and there is no known cure. The rosette virus is transmitted by a small mite, which can hop from plant to plant with the help of wind.  Because the virus is systematic, so the best way to combat the virus and to prevent the spread is to remove the infected roses as early as possible.

To address the rose rosette disease issue, Maas Verde took proactive measures. When removing the infected plants, we made sure to clean our tools with bleach to prevent further infection and removed the entire root ball. Through these efforts, we were able to slow the spread of the virus, highlighting the importance of proper landscape maintenance practices in controlling plant diseases.