Projects Archives | Maas Verde Landscape Restoration

Elementary Sensory Pathway

March 26, 2025/in Commercial, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: – Sensory Engagement – Child Safety – Nature Connection – Educational Experience
Challenges: – Maximizing Learning Potential – Utilizing Limited Space
Solutions: – Sensory Pathway Design – Natural Material Selection – Careful Element Placement – Native Plant Integration

Maas Verde partnered with Austin ISD to bring the district’s vision to life: creating the premier model for nature play in the United States. Our collaboration resulted in an innovative sensory pathway that redefines outdoor learning spaces for children. More than just a surface to run across, this pathway is designed to inspire observation and exploration through sight, touch, hearing, and smell. It transforms a simple walkway into an immersive educational environment that fosters a deep connection with nature.

Our approach goes beyond constructing a path. Each 3’x3′ section of the pathway offers a mini sensory adventure, incorporating materials like textured tree cookies, diverse rock and gravel arrangements, and native plants. Crunchy gravel, smooth and shiny stones, fragrant herbs, straight lines, and spirals combine to create a dynamic and interactive experience. These elements spark curiosity and invite hands-on exploration, making the sensory pathway a standout feature of the courtyard.

Safety was our top priority throughout the design process. Materials were carefully embedded to prevent shifting, non-irritating plants were selected, and the layout was designed to minimize tripping hazards. Every detail ensures children can explore freely and safely.

Sustainability was also key. By repurposing materials from the school and choosing native, low-water plants, we reduced waste and supported the local ecosystem. Surrounding garden beds further enhance the sensory experience, featuring fragrant and tactile plantings. Textural interest and “brush-by” fragrances extend the sensory engagement beyond the path itself. By favoring native species, we have taken the first step in ensuring that the plants are water wise and very tough – essential in a children’s play area!

This project is more than a landscape upgrade; it’s a model for interactive outdoor learning. By blending thoughtful design, educational intent, and ecological mindfulness, we’ve created a space where children can play, learn, and build lasting connections with nature. Maas Verde and Austin ISD are proud to offer a blueprint for schools looking to enrich outdoor education through sensory engagement.

Rain Garden & Side Yard Restoration Project

February 13, 2025/in Projects, Residential/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: – Drainage Resolution – Foundation Protection – Tree Root Safety – Ground Cover Establishment
Challenges: – Deck Area Pooling – Drainage Issues – Foundation-Level Soil – Mud-Prone Areas
Solutions: – Rain Garden Construction – Site Regrading – Paver Path Installation- Strategic Gravel Placement

This landscape renovation focused on transforming a water management challenge into a thriving ecosystem by creating a 200-square-foot rain garden. Designed to naturally filter and redirect water, the garden utilizes native plants and specialized soil layers to support local biodiversity while resolving drainage issues near the deck.

Sustainable soil management was a priority along the home’s east and north sides. Through strategic regrading, we established a natural water flow that safeguards both the foundation and local groundwater systems, reinforcing our commitment to working with nature rather than against it.

Emphasizing preservation, we repurposed existing limestone pavers into a permeable pathway surrounding the rain garden. This approach protected the mature oak trees’ critical root zones, minimized construction waste, and maintained natural water infiltration patterns.

The eastern section underwent a significant transformation, replacing bare, erosion-prone soil with a diverse mix of shade-tolerant native grasses and perennials. This resilient ecosystem now manages rainfall naturally while providing valuable wildlife habitat.

rain pit in backyard due to poor drainage

In the final phase, we replaced outdated gravel around the western deck with locally sourced, permeable granite aggregate. This choice ensures proper drainage, reduces environmental impact through lower transportation costs, and enhances water filtration.

This project highlights how ecological landscaping principles create resilient, sustainable solutions that harmonize with natural systems. The result is a balanced landscape that effectively manages water, protects structural elements, and enhances biodiversity—all while preserving existing natural features.

Travis Country Water-Wise Front Yard Transformation

October 30, 2024/in Civic, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: – Water Conservation – Elderly-Accessible Design – Stormwater Management – Native Plant Integration
Challenges: – Large Turf Area Removal – Drainage Issues – Accessibility Needs – Site Topography
Solutions: – Strategic Water Management – Accessible Pathways – Native Plant Selection – Functional Hardscaping

This residential transformation centered on two key objectives: creating a water-conscious landscape and ensuring accessibility for the elderly homeowner. The project qualified for the City of Austin’s WaterWise Landscape Rebate Program, demonstrating its alignment with local conservation initiatives.

The first major task involved removing 1,200 square feet of traditional turf, replacing it with a thoughtfully designed landscape that manages water more effectively. A carefully engineered swale system now captures and redirects water from downspouts, while strategically placed berms add visual interest and create optimal planting conditions.

Accessibility was paramount in the design. We installed a stabilized granite pathway, providing a secure route from the seating patio to the yard’s corner. This surface offers reliable footing while maintaining the natural aesthetic of the space.

To enhance the landscape’s functionality and visual appeal, we incorporated multiple hardscape elements. Custom steel edging creates a clean transition between the remaining grass and the transformed area. Carefully placed boulders serve dual purposes – as informal seating and as artistic elements that ground the design.

A dry creek bed serves as both a decorative feature and a functional drainage solution, directing water flow toward the side yard. The addition of juniper log edging around the mulched play area creates a natural boundary while complementing the overall design aesthetic.

The planting plan focused on shade-tolerant native species, selected for their ability to thrive in local conditions while requiring minimal water. These plants, combined with proper soil preparation and mulching, create a sustainable landscape that will mature beautifully while conserving water resources.

front yard with new plants and granite pathway

This transformation demonstrates how functional needs – water conservation, accessibility, and stormwater management – can be met while creating an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable landscape that serves both the homeowner and the environment.

Austin Backyard Garden & Kitchen Collab

January 16, 2024/in Projects, Residential/by MichaelofAustin

Striking the right balance in a multi-use back yard was a big priority for this client. A young family and a passion for dinner parties guided their landscape needs. And a scenic but complex property that plunges two stories down to nearby Shoal Creek created project guidelines.

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The multi-pronged install is the product of a partnership between Maas Verde and Eischen’s General Contracting, LLC. The Eischen crew first installed the awning, deck, and outdoor kitchen. Maas Verde finished the space with the steel-edged gravel landing, rain-absorbing garden bed, and turf lawn.

Choosing the right materials and building to last were Maas Verde’s priorities. Signals that this landscape would be well-loved were everywhere — from the client’s energetic young pet Weimeraner to the packs of neighborhood kids who swarmed through the job site daily!

3/16″ custom welded steel edging retains the gravel pit against a concrete curb. The material will stand up to heavy foot traffic over time, and limit gravel from spilling away downhill.

(Photo/Maas Verde)

The same edging separates the mulched bed from the lawn. Maas Verde chose attractive, easy-going Webberville sedge (Carex perdentata) for the bed. The shady area and location right below a gutter and downspout will suit its tolerance for wet roots. But in a drought, it won’t give up.

Shade-tolerant Emerald Zoysia was the clear choice for the lawn. A small paver walkway provides easy access to the firewood rack.

End result: one of Maas Verde’s most versatile and cohesive residential landscapes.

Restoring Habitat for Endangered Songbirds with Travis County DNR

October 26, 2023/in Land Management, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Assess and Recondition 15 Acres to Prioritize Black-capped VireoChallenges: Evaluate Complex Habitat – Meet Tight Timeline Ahead of NestingSolutions: Task Expert Staff – Expedite with Key Equipment

The black-capped vireo is one of Texas’ most distinctive rare songbirds. And under a specific government directive, it receives protections based on monitoring in known habitats.

The bird left the endangered species list in 2018, but is now the focus of an “abundance monitoring” plan. Its relisting as “vulnerable” owed mostly to habitat restoration — which still has to happen on a regular basis.

Maas Verde undertook vireo habitat management on 15 acres of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in northwest Austin. There, conflicting habitats between it and another threatened Texas songbird butted right up against each other.

The endangered golden-cheeked warbler roams a far different range than the black-capped vireo at large. But in Texas, their territories overlap. The birds often nest side-by-side, choosing different species that grow closely together in our area.

This situation demands precision and judgment from a land manager prioritizing one bird species or the other. Maas Verde’s job would be to optimize the habitat for black-capped vireos without chasing warblers away.

Natural Resources Specialist Paul Fushille led the project for the Travis County Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“The area just looked like a wall of brush at the start of the project,” Fushille said. “Any casual onlooker wouldn’t have been able to make any sense out of it. This required strong skills in species identification and forestry mowing.”

Habitat Circumstances

Vireos tend to nest in thickly-clumped shrubby vegetation like shin oak (Quercus grisea), evergreen sumac (Rhus virens), and flameleaf sumac (Rhus lanceolata) at heights of about 3-6 feet. Golden-cheeked warblers like to nest relatively high up in mature Ashe juniper trees that stand alone.

The Balcones Canyonlands NWR parcel that Maas Verde treated was a tangle of these habitats. And due to the relative maturity of the landscape, which had gone unmanaged for around a decade, it was no longer harboring vireos effectively.

Instead of post-oak savannah, with clumped vegetation surrounded by open areas, it was becoming denser.

“A lot of the shin oak and flameleaf sumac — the shrubby species — had actually matured into tree-like structures,” Maas Verde project manager Marc Opperman said. “Essentially, it was aging out of what the black-capped vireo prefers.”

Project Outline

Close surveillance by Fushille and his team dictated expectations on the project. They monitored the local vireo population using coded ankle bands to track the birds’ nesting locations and movement patterns.

“When we started monitoring this area in the mid-1990s, we had around 20-22 birds,” Fushille said. ” But because the area had not been managed for some time, those numbers were declining.”

Maas Verde’s treatment would occur at the very end of the viable season. The birds’ protected mating season runs from March 1 to July 31. During that time, heavy equipment use is prohibited in their area under take regulations.

Multiple obstacles, like February’s damaging ice storm, delayed Maas Verde’s restoration work until late in the month.

The distribution of species and general brush density on the land forced Maas Verde to create “lanes.”

“This wasn’t a clear cut. Instead, we would judiciously look at pockets of vegetation and particular trees — especially Ashe junipers and big oaks — and treat those as islands, managing the surrounding species,” Opperman explained.

Attention to the detail of Fushille’s spec guided this approach.

“We’d had previous companies come in that removed a little too much [brush],” Fushille said. “Clear cutting is pretty common at this scale of land management in our area. It’s what a lot of ranchers want. Grassland for livestock, etc. But we needed more habitat evaluation.”

Implementation and Challenges

Hitting the Target Boundary

The Balcones Canyonlands NWR is huge. At 32,000+ acres, it is larger than the city of Round Rock.

It was important for Opperman and the crew to treat only the target area. To facilitate this, Fushille uses an app that combines GIS location services with PDF maps his team created internally. The Maas Verde crew could track their locations inside the project boundary with their phones.

“They picked up the app and ran with it,” Fushille said. “Technical literacy was no problem.”

Detailed Treatment

Opperman and the crew developed a system and worked quickly, without removing too much brush.

For instance, the crew might “top” (or trim to height) an overgrown flameleaf sumac. A ground crew with chainsaws would cut the shrub to a suitable height for vireo nesting. Then Opperman would mulch the excess with the forestry mower.

By design, the process would encourage the low, radiating growth that vireos prefer.

Two key challenges placed the strictest demands on Opperman’s skill and resources. First, identifying one woody species from another without any leaves to compare. Second, balancing the ecosystem’s holistic health against the vireo prioritization.

He met the first challenge with resolute dedication to Texas wildlife. A certified Master Naturalist since 2012, Opperman is an energetic student of local species.

Meeting the second came down to applying those skills.

“Every time I looked at a particular area, I had to make a decision. Is this great habitat that just needs to be cleaned up a little bit? Is there anything significant that I need to remove completely, because if we just mow it down, it will come back up again and impair the habitat? Or should we be opportunistic and mow one species, say a young juniper, that won’t necessarily attract vireos and also won’t grow back even if we don’t pull it from the roots?”

Project Manager Marc Opperman

Efficiency

Evaluating an overgrown, 15-acre area one tree at a time would be painstaking. So efficient implementation was key.

Opperman ran the mower in “pirouettes” around mature trees to create lanes. Ground personnel directed by crew leader Juan Carlos Hidalgo worked in close proximity. Maas Verde tasked the same staff throughout the project to fuel the accuracy and efficiency of the treatment.

The crew averaged 10-hour shifts to finish the project in 10 days, working around one skid steer breakdown. The DNR also added two acres onto the scope during the project.

“I went into it not expecting to get it all done,” Fushille said. “You run into issues you can’t predict on every project. Maas Verde encountered and overcame these, and surprisingly, covered the entire area in this short window.”

Opperman managing the preserve lands with a forestry mower; (photo/Maas Verde)

Results

Fushille’s team does not expect black-capped vireo numbers to recover on the treated land for several more nesting seasons. That’s because the birds generally avoid disturbed areas. However, Fushille spoke to the engineered habitat’s suitability.

“Marc came in fully understanding the vision, and our land management requirements. There was a lot of really good communication,” he said. “That showed in the final result. Our team surveyed the property all nesting season, because even though we didn’t expect any vireos to return there, it looked like such good habitat.”

The preserve will need ongoing management to support black-capped vireos. And because of habitat loss, engineered tracts like the Balcones Canyonlands NWR acreage will remain important.

“We know we’re going to have to do this again in five to eight years,” Fushille said. “Maas Verde is the first group to come in and do mechanical treatment at the NWR on this wide of a scale. It’s hard to make this kind of treatment perfect, but the crew was able to leave a lot of really, really good habitat behind.”

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If you’re lucky enough to come across a black-capped vireo nest, you’ll see they both stand out and blend in. The birds make cup-shaped nests with a wide variety of materials including spider silk and Ashe juniper bark, often garlanded with strips of green lichen. Find them several feet off the ground — placed securely within their preferred shrubby species.

*Featured image: Black-capped vireo in the Balcones Canyonlands NWR; (photo/Isaac Sanchez via Flickr)

Pond Drainage Repair and Forestry Mowing for Wildlife Habitat

October 24, 2023/in Land Management, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Fix Unwanted Pond Drainage – Improve Hiking Access – Irrigate PondsChallenges: Dense Brush – Long Distances – Multiple Scopes – Remote AreaSolutions: Right Equipment – Team Efficiency – Attention to Safety

One South Texas ranch owner needed solutions on a property where prior efforts hadn’t measured up.

Jimmy Burke, an avid bird hunter, had contracted multiple companies to dig several holding ponds, or “tanks,” to support local wildlife. But the ponds kept draining. They refused to hold water for more than a day or so.

Additionally, he needed long lanes cleared through thick brush for easier hiking access on the 250-acre property. The job demanded forestry mowing to create lasting clearance through the understory. He had attempted this himself on a conventional tractor, but results were unsatisfactory.

Finally, Burke wanted a solution to fill the ponds more efficiently. A separate plan was in place to connect the ponds to a well with several thousand feet of PVC. Maas Verde solidified these details on site, expediting the process of trenching, installing, and connecting the pipe.

With limited time and finite staffing resources on the mobilization, Maas Verde leaned into the work.

“Maas Verde was flexible in that we added on a pretty substantial scope during the project,” Burke said. “Watering the tanks was the goal, and Maas Verde worked efficiently and expeditiously to complete that — at what I thought was a fair price.”

Forestry Mowing

Dense, woody brush was also a key factor in the project timeline. Brush clearing came first, which both completed a scope and helped the team access work areas.

Maas Verde’s choice to use a forestry mower for clearing was key. Cutting thousands of linear feet of these woody species would be functionally impossible with a conventional mower (as Burke’s experience demonstrated). The only other feasible tool would be a bulldozer.

But Maas Verde opted against this method to minimize soil disruption. This would allow low growth to return to the property, helping retain the soil profile and preserve its microbe communities and the larger ecosystems it supports.

The forestry mower also expedited the work.

“The brush clearing was exceptional,” Burke said. “I was impressed that the team showed up with the right equipment to get the job done. The [forestry mower] skid steer attachment saved days of time and labor. It really goes to show the value of having the right tools.”

Bentonite Install

The team then addressed the unsatisfactory ponds. Our solution was to spread bentonite on the pond floors.

A type of natural clay, bentonite’s strength as a pond liner comes from its enormous surface area and tendency to self-bond. The clay reacts with water to form a paste, where its particles swell to 30 times their size and compress. These tiny particles have thousands of times more surface area than sand granules — so their capacity for absorption and surface contact is extremely high.

The bentonite arrived at the job site in 3,000-lb. “super sacks.” Maas Verde’s team first performed square footage and volume calculations for spreading, then measured the areas and started pouring.

Safety was critical in the application process. A skid steer operator hoisted the sacks, then ground crew members opened the spouts below, staying clear of any fall zones.

The operator then spread the outpouring bentonite evenly, paying attention to steep grades on the pond sides. Spreading also required the operator to move quickly and steadily.

(Photos/Maas Verde)

The crew then finished the spreading process with a mini excavator, prioritizing a timely finish.

“The planning in advance was obviously well thought-out. And because they efficiently used their equipment, it minimized cost,” Burke said.

(Photo/Maas Verde)

Trenching and PVC Install

Our crew worked closely together on the PVC/well linkage project. Each pond needed its own conduit, and the longest distance between pond and well was 1,200 linear feet. Brush clearing was arduous, and each path snaked between larger trees and thickets.

During trenching, one team member stayed out front in the skid steer to cut. One installed and welded PVC segments, while one ran laps to deliver fresh pipe.

“We got a really good process in place,” said Andy Maas, who coordinated the project for Maas Verde. The team welded all the PVC outside the trenches. Then once they had the whole pipe connected, they simply rolled it into the trench and backfilled.

Once the team turned the water on, the results became obvious immediately.

“With this project, we knew all along that the fill-up would tell us whether we succeeded or failed right away,” Maas said.

Three weeks after install, each pond is holding water to spec.

South Texas Wildlife and Ecology

Research suggests Texas’ historical southern prairie and savannah lands have transformed into successional forest under human management. Overgrazing and wildfire suppression have led to some grass monocultures and some areas dominated by low, woody species, like Burke’s property.

The success of several invasive grasses “simplifies vegetation structure, reduces biodiversity, and decreases habitat for many species of wildlife,” a group from Texas A&M asserted. Historically, though, South Texas is a biodiverse area, thanks to its subtropical, desert, and coastal location.

This project was located along the boundary of the Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub (31c) and Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairie (34b); (image/Wied et. al)

Maas Verde’s remediations resulted in a property that can better accommodate both humans and wildlife. “These woody species were wall-to-wall,” said Ted Maas, who worked as head equipment operator on the project. “It can happen when you don’t see natural fires create a ‘mosaic,’ or random pattern, in vegetation control.”

It’s possible that biodiversity on Burke’s land will now increase, thanks to prioritized wildlife habitat and re-engineered competition between species. He plans to task Maas Verde on annual brush clearing to support the success of the initial project.

And he looks forward to South Texas’ second dove hunting season, from Dec. 15-Jan. 21.

“This gets us further down the road toward good wildlife management. We now have two tanks that can attract thousands of dove and other wildlife,” Burke said. “All we have to do now is monitor our water levels.”

*Featured image: Bentonite pond and a mini excavator; (photo/Maas Verde)

Custom Limestone Patio with Steel Edging, Natural Shade

September 25, 2023/in Projects, Residential/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Broad, Consistent Surface for Outdoor Seating, Garage AccessChallenges: Contour Seamless Edges Around Central TreeSolutions: Plan Ahead – Cut Stone on Site

The comprehensive services for this residential overhaul were guided by three main objectives.

1. Design and construct an expansive, stable space for seating and a specialty gas grill under a shade tree.

1. Link a covered porch and detached garage with a smooth walkway for stroller access.

1. Refresh plant beds with new natives and permanent edging.

To meet the needs, Maas Verde planned a masonry patio with 2’x4’ Lueders limestone slabs. Our crew would cut the blocks on site to create aesthetic edges and perfect seams.

Grading with attention to detail would be pivotal to facilitating the even surfaces the clients needed. Rattly stroller passages to the alley-facing garage were not an option.

Finally, Maas Verde would pull up generic plastic bed borders and replace them with long-lasting steel edging. After cutting and welding on site, Maas Verde would fill and plant the beds accordingly.

A custom steel planter box with a trellis put the final touch on the design.

Cutting and welding precisely were the key requirements. Setting “fences” for cuts and laying materials with care made progress methodically. So to keep the timeline efficient, project managers made sure to stay at least one step ahead of the crew.

This way, progress stayed focused and cut men stayed busy.

Native plantings suited to their sun/shade conditions completed this brisk install.

Expedited Cafe Hardscape Fixes Slip Hazard

September 12, 2023/in Commercial, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Walkway Safety Hazard – Reduce Pressure on Heritage OakChallenges: Tight Scheduling – Balance Elements of Hardscape and SoftscapeSolutions: Task Orientation – Detailed Grading

Live in Austin long enough, and you’re bound to lounge on the shady patio at Better Half Coffee & Cocktails.

The spread itself is broad and welcoming, and the live oak that shades it has been there far longer than any of us have been alive. As the holidays approached in 2022, both the hardscaping and the heritage tree needed some care.

Better Half turned to Maas Verde to fix a sloping stone walkway that had become a safety hazard. The path was too narrow to allow two-way foot traffic, and the granite gravel it was bedded in had started to exfoliate onto the stones.

Messy gravel created slip-and-fall hazards.

Slip-and-fall incidents became too common as customers and staff jockeyed around each other on the tricky slope.

However, the fix wouldn’t be as simple as mortaring in a walkway. Specifications from a City of Austin arborist dictated no impervious surfaces could cover the tree’s root mass. Recently decompacted via air spading, the area must now remain open to water absorption, and resilient to foot traffic.

Finally, Maas Verde faced a scheduling challenge. Cooler temperatures and holiday crowds meant busy days were getting busier, and the restaurant would soon place its permanent winter tents on the patio.

“In every aspect, the project not only addressed aesthetic problems, but functional ones,” Maas Verde founder and president Ted Maas explained. “This eroding slope ended in an asphalt cake, and the granite gravel created a slip hazard. We needed to put in a patio that would secure all that, handle heavy traffic, and float on top of the tree roots with no excavation.”

Maas Verde met the parameters by resetting the existing stone on a decomposed granite bed, then adding a second row.

The narrow path before (left) and during work (right).

A mulch layer around the tree helps cushion any shallowly-buried roots.

Grading the decomposed granite below the stone surfaces, and then coating it with a non-toxic stabilizer, limits its tendency to dislodge.

Maas Verde added the larger stones, which tend to to limit gravel shedding.

At the bottom, Maas Verde placed a cut limestone step to provide retention and maintain the overall grade.

Maas Verde worked efficiently to get out of the way of the tent install crew. Project manager John Harris visited the site for a final walkthrough days later, after the tent crew had started work.

“It wouldn’t have been impossible to do this job with those guys there at the same time,” he said, pausing. “But it would have been close to it. They were working right on top of our job site — which was also an early test of concept.”

Better Half said the walkway has made the courtyard safer, and reported no further slip and fall incidents as of this writing.

Land Clearing for Future Work Retreat

September 5, 2023/in Commercial, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Remove Dense Brush – Treat for Prevention
Challenges: Tight Corridors – Trip Hazards – Pollution
Solutions: Safety Focus – Teamwork Between Operators and Ground Crew

Supervisory staff at a Central Texas farm supply company had big plans for a 4-acre swath of undeveloped land at its corporate headquarters. But the parcel would need a lot of work first.

The land was choked with invasives like ligustrum (L. lucidum), Chinaberry (Melia azedarach), and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera). Vines climbed into taller trees in thick curtains. And the site’s close proximity to a major highway, a set of railroad tracks, and a retention lake had led to persistent unsanctioned camping and trash problems.

Plans existed for the site to become a “retreat,” where the company’s corporate staff could take relaxing work breaks in the form of meditation, yoga, and outdoor lunches.

The scope of work included removing and herbiciding invasives, then mowing the remaining brush and limbing trees up to eight feet high to clear the understory.

Safe Implementation

Maas Verde first assessed objective hazards. Trash, both visible and hidden among the thick brush, was an injury and/or disease risk. Narrow corridors meant operators couldn’t drive machines through some areas — and that in others, they would have to work closely alongside the ground crew. Chainsaw operators needed to remain cognizant of trip hazards in between cuts. And a barbed wire fence cut through the middle of the work area.

Key equipment included two skid steers, one mounted with a grapple bucket and one with a forestry mower. The ground crew used chainsaws and backpack sprayers.

The crew cleared the land to spec safely and methodically. Once the ground crew swept an area, the machine with the grapple bucket removed piles of downed brush. The forestry mower then removed remaining vegetation and mulched the area.

Andy Maas, who managed the project for Maas Verde, explained the team’s approach.

“Cutting the unwanted brush and treating those cuts was the main priority. We also thinned a lot of the vines,” Maas said. “This site was so overgrown, and some of the work areas were very challenging. To finish the job without any safety issues was our goal, and we accomplished that.”

Maas Verde hauled off remaining material that couldn’t be mulched, concluding all scopes of work.

Natural Playground Design/Build

September 1, 2023/in Commercial, Projects/by MichaelofAustin

Priorities: Safe Landscaping For All Ages – Engaging Natural Play StructuresChallenges: Poor Drainage – Tight Safety ConstraintsSolutions: Deep Excavation – Expert Auditing – Creative Design Choices

St. George’s Episcopal School needed a long-planned playground rebuild. The existing grounds covered over two acres, but did little to add learning or play opportunities for the school’s young students. Outdated play fixtures and degraded surfaces were the general rule.

The school’s lead administrator, Jerri Thompson, has a career-long early childhood development background with a specialty focus on natural play. A natural playground focuses around play structures built with elements and textures from the earth, instead of plastic or steel.

In concept, natural playground designers create safety-compliant equipment and play areas with components like logs and stumps, boulders, plants, and mixed, natural surface materials. That’s exactly what Thompson and St. George’s wanted.

(Read the full story here. Or, stay on this page for a scope-focused report.)

Design/Build

Maas Verde tasked its in-house playground designer, Marc Opperman, on the project. Opperman brought over a decade of natural playground design experience to the job. He had also developed some familiarity with the site itself by creating previous partial designs for the space.

Maas Verde began deep excavation work in early April, and worked on site daily for the next eight weeks. The final install includes log-and-lumber pergolas, log climbing structures, lawns and drainage swales, multiple new trees, shrubs, and planting areas, and even fountains — all of which meet playground safety regulations.

The space breaks down into four main areas: three playgrounds designed for students in different age brackets, and an entryway area with a fountain and some sculpture installations.

Maas Verde measured out prescribed fall zones for play structures including climbing equipment and swingsets. Opperman chose natural materials instead of synthetic options in all applications. Borders between walkways and play pits are Juniper logs instead of segmented plastic edging. And vertical structures like the logs for climbing (fitted with real, commercial-grade resin climbing holds) are edge-chamfered for safety. Ground surfaces like mulches and pea gravel can break a fall but still create a consequence.

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

Artificial surfaces and exhausted fixtures came out, improving safety and updating appearance. Maas Verde removed astroturf and rubber bumpers surrounding a playscape, then replaced it with a mulch bed and the site’s signature log borders.

An existing shade sail had failed, so Maas Verde tore it out and installed a pergola. And bright white play sand replaced gritty aggregates in play pits.

Challenges and Outcomes

Hidden obstacles included hundreds of square feet of unexpected concrete and asphalt buried deep below the existing turf. Deeper excavation was the only option.

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

A previously installed, 25-foot-long creek runs on a solar-powered pump. The feature is a design centerpiece, but requires maintenance: heavy weeding and marginal drainage are concerns. Per Thompson’s priorities, Maas Verde will adopt the creek along with its ongoing maintenance plan.

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

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

Opperman summed up the transformation: “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 got natural materials and passes safety compliance.”