TUCSON, Ariz. - In the desert, growing grass can prove difficult. The overbearing sun and long dry spells usually spare only the saguaro and the well-shaded man from dehydration and death.

So in the most brutal of climates, how do public schools manage to provide green grassy fields for football, softball, and baseball games and remain environmentally responsible?

For public schools, the challenge is dealt with from a “less is more” perspective, especially when it comes to watering the grass.

“We try to use the least amount that we can,” said Pat Weber, the athletic director for Tucson Flowing Wells High School.

A common type of grass used by schools is Bermuda Grass, which is commonly found in the warmer climates of the southern United States, according to Allaboutlawns.com. Bermuda Grass is known for being tough in warmer, drier climates, requiring less water maintenance, while also being very durable for high traffic areas like a football field, according to the site.

Weber said rain can make a difference in water usage as well.

“When we have rain, we shut the water off for a good five days or so,” he said.

Another conservation method was employed by Flowing Wells Junior High School, where Assistant Principal Chad Miller said that grass isn’t watered year-round.

“We cut the water off right around mid-October,” he said.

They also make an effort to water at night as opposed to during the day to avoid evaporation.

Allaboutlawns.com recommends watering before midday because watering during the day can burn off water before it can effectively get to the soil and promote growth.

Some schools pay for outside businesses to maintain their fields. At Catalina Foothills High School, Principal Loren Rathert said his school has a contract with The Groundskeeper, a Tucson-based plant care company, to maintain its fields.

“They put us on a watering schedule," Rathert said. "It’s watered probably two or three times a week."

Rathert said the scarce waterings are done intentionally to conserve water.

“If it was up to me, we’d water them more,” said Rathert, noting that it’s difficult to keep high traffic areas like the soccer field in good condition with only two or three waterings per week. “Our main field gets a lot of use, and it’s hard to maintain a good surface.”

Rathert said Catalina Foothills has considered replacing the high school’s main field with artificial grass and eliminating its grass maintenance issues altogether.

When it comes to conservation issues, the common approach among Tucson schools seems to be that while having the fields is a necessity, nothing beyond the minimum upkeep is needed.

This promotes the idea that sometimes the best way to be environmentally friendly is simply to avoid overdoing it and be aware of what is waste and what is really needed.