Phoenix OKs 27,000 new trees to increase shade, reduce heat
Joe Duhownik
PHOENIX (CN) — Amid record-breaking heat waves and a historic drought, the Phoenix City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to mitigate heat effects by planting 27,000 native trees and erecting 550 shade structures over the next five years.
The Shade Phoenix Plan, submitted to the city by the Phoenix Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, calls for $60 million in both federal and local funding to effectively double the annual rate of tree-planting across the city. More than 50% of the additions will be added to low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, which on average have a far less dense tree canopy than wealthier areas.
“In Phoenix we know shade can be a lifeline,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said at the City Council meeting Wednesday afternoon. “Whether it be on a hot summer day under a tree or a ramada.”
Most of the $60 million will come from the American Rescue Plan Act, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Phoenix voter-approved infrastructure fund Transportation 250. The rest will come from Phoenix’s general fund and other general bonds.
The Shade Phoenix Plan is a continuation of the Tree and Shade Master Plan adopted by the city in 2010, at the time 16 years into a historic drought that’s now lasted 30. Since then, average temperatures have only increased — this past summer was Arizona’s hottest on record. The governor’s drought committee recently recommended the continuation of two drought declarations that have been in place for the better part of two decades. And experts have already recommended the Legislature enforce stricter air quality regulations, as the Phoenix metro has some of the highest ozone and air pollutant levels in the country.
Trees can help with all three of those problems. Proper shade can reduce pavement surface temperature by up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce the radiant temperature, also known as the “real feel,” by up to 30 degrees, according to data from the heat response office. Trees mitigate drought effects by absorbing and retaining water, which reduces evaporation and further cools the air around them. And they consume CO2, ozone and other airborne pollutants toxic to humans.
Councilmember Kesha Hodge Washington said she hopes the city will prioritize placing trees and shade where it’s most needed — low-income neighborhoods.
“It's not a luxury for some. It’s a necessity for many,” she said.
The Office of Heat Response and Mitigation analyzed the city to determine where shade would be the most beneficial — busy streets and sidewalks, bus stops, metro train stops, public parks and other high-traffic areas.
The plan has four main goals: increasing shade, maintaining existing shade, public education on shade and sustainability, and the creation and encouragement of careers in urban forestry.
Councilmember Jim Waring noted that several trees in North Phoenix died soon after planting, including an estimated 20 trees north of Thunderbird Road between 44th and 52nd Streets.
“Having trees just planted and then dying is not optimal,” he said. “We just need to make sure that maintenance is the key component of this.”
Hodge Washington said she’s received complaints about inadequate care to newly planted trees in her district, which encompasses most of South Phoenix.
The Office of Heat Response and Mitigation hasn’t confirmed the nature of those issues, but the plan includes instructions and funding to replace dead or damaged trees.
The shade plan will include a regularly updated species list to ensure the trees the city plants are best suited for the environment. Drafters of the plan indicate that because the trees will live for decades to come, they must consider what species can survive upward trends of heat and dryness beyond the lifetimes of those who plant them. The office hasn’t yet provided a list of tree species it plans to plant.