If you’ve spent any time outdoors during a Phoenix summer, you know the toll: headaches, dry mouth, even dizziness. Rising urban heat affects everyone, but neighborhoods with a healthy tree canopy can feel up to 13 degrees cooler than those with sparse vegetation. Trees don’t just lower temperatures – they clean the air, reducing respiratory risks and improve overall health.
That’s why The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Arizona’s Healthy Cities team and its partners are expanding tree canopy across Maricopa County to build cooler, more resilient communities.
In October of 2025, more than 110 community members and volunteers planted 94 native and desert-adapted trees in Mesa’s Reed Park and installed a green stormwater feature to capture rainfall and sustain some of the new plantings.
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Submit an interest form“We’re excited to partner with Mesa and other cities and community organizations to respond to intense heat and ensure a thriving urban forest—especially for those who need it most,” said Amy Scoville-Weaver, Healthy Cities director for TNC Arizona.
The large-scale planting doubled as a hands-on learning experience. Volunteers gained practical skills in tree planting and long-term care—pruning, watering, mulching—that are essential not only for survival but for sustaining a canopy that supports biodiversity, boosts property values, and fosters community well-being.
Among the volunteers were graduates of the Urban Heat Leadership Academy (UHLA), a free bilingual program offered by TNC Arizona and Unlimited Potential. UHLA equips residents with knowledge in tree health, green stormwater infrastructure, and public health—empowering them to lead change in their own neighborhoods.
Quote: Mark Beehler
The UHLA helped me engage more deeply with my neighbors and exposed me to knowledge that has helped bring positive changes to my community—to improve our health and quality of life.
The Mesa tree planting was more than a milestone—it was proof of what’s possible. When local government, community members, nonprofits, and TNC align, resources multiply, impact grows, and healthier, more resilient communities emerge.
Mesa’s “Trees are Cool” Initiative, which aims to increase tree canopy to 15% by 2050, dovetails perfectly with TNC’s Healthy Cities Program. The city’s leaders, urban forester, parks and recreation staff, engineers, arborists, public health advocates, and community engagement teams all contributed to the effort.
“Working with city partners is an important way to scale the benefits of nature-based solutions. Mesa’s clear canopy goal and investment in a forestry program were important factors to put together this large-scale planting with relative ease and speed,” said Mikayla Qian, Healthy Cities Program Manager for TNC Arizona.
Scott Bouchie, Energy and Sustainability Director with the City of Mesa, added, “Through strong collaboration with our partners, we're strategically prioritizing low-canopy neighborhoods to grow our urban forest. This vital work, emphasizing sustainable care like rainwater harvesting through our basin expansion, is directly helping us achieve our goals for heat mitigation across Mesa.”
Additional partners included the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, Trees Matter, Watershed Management Group, and Unlimited Potential, with proud support from the Arizona Columbine Garden Club and The Garden Club of America.
Learn more about extreme heat and tree canopy in your neighborhood at nature.org/healthycitiesaz.
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