Norm's Official Statement Regarding the Nevada Assembly Bill 356 (AB356) Lawsuit

Recently, our owner, Norm Schilling, has been part of a broader public conversation regarding Southern Nevada’s mandated removal of so-called “non-functional” or “useless” turf.

While many in our community have voiced support, some recent coverage has created confusion around Norm’s position and statements. We want to take a moment to clarify the context, address an inaccurately attributed quote, and share Norm’s perspective directly.

In recent reporting, Norm was quoted as saying that “less than 10% of trees in the Las Vegas Valley survive the removal of their grass cover.” Norm has not communicated this statement at any time, and it does not appear in his testimonial in the lawsuit.

As a lifelong horticulturist and arborist, Norm has consistently emphasized that removing turf from established landscapes can and often does severely compromise tree health, for trees both in and near the grass being removed. It can also negatively affect other plants in the area, including well-established shrubs and perennials. The likelihood of survivability and post conversion vitality is dependent on a wide variety of factors, including species, health of the individual tree going into the conversion, age of the specimen, how established the tree is into the landscape, how dependent it's become on the existing irrigation system and associated wetting patterns, the severity of root and other potential damage in the conversion process, changes in soil depth (both more or less can be damaging), the adequacy or lack thereof of the ensuing (new) irrigation systems, and post-conversion care, watering, pruning and other treatments.

Read Norm's official statement in the lawsuit here:

Norm's Testimonial.pdf

Download PDF • 482KB

We appreciate the opportunity to clarify and welcome thoughtful, respectful dialogue as our community navigates these important conversations.

Thank you!

Updated 1/16/2026

This is Norm Schilling, owner of Mojave Bloom Nursery. We’ve received many thoughtful questions and kind messages from our community about our post yesterday, and I wanted to respond personally. I'd like to clarify my position to ensure the attention surrounding the press and the lawsuit does not overshadow or misrepresent my intentions.

At the core of this conversation, I'm seeking resolution and long-term, practical solutions. I strongly support water conservation and believe deeply in creating a more sustainable future for our Valley. However, I feel these conversations and actions must be approached more mindfully with appropriate attention paid to the nuance and complexities of this challenge.

Throughout my nearly 40 year career, I have always advocated for increased planting of native and desert-adapted plants, recognizing their huge environmental benefits in cooling our community, preserving our resources, and supporting ecosystems. In the meantime, the widespread removal of existing turf grass can cause more harm than good.  

In my testimony, I emphasized that the core issue isn’t the grass itself, but the fact that many of these trees have adapted to long-established turf grass environments. Removing the grass disrupts that system and can greatly accelerate tree decline and death. Thoughtful, phased transitions are necessary to protect existing tree canopies while moving toward water-conscious landscapes.

The reality is that these mature trees have natural life spans, and some are already in decline. When a tree reaches or significantly approaches the end of its natural life span, that is likely the most appropriate time to remove it and transition to a desert-adapted landscape. We should not be intentionally or inadvertently causing the decline of heritage trees in order to install desert landscaping.

This is not a stance against conservation, but rather a call for thoughtful dialogue that promotes science-based solutions to protect both our water resources and the living systems that depend on them. We also need to be thoughtful about the value of our green spaces, and their role in providing shade, beauty, and cooling, making our neighborhoods truly livable and healing. Preserving these benefits should be a central part of how we plan and implement landscape transitions. I believe we have a special opportunity to do this well. 

Thank you.

Norm Schilling