Tempe launches new program to fight rising heat by expanding shade canopy with more trees

PHOENIX — Tree huggers in the East Valley will soon have more trunks and shade to enjoy thanks to a new sustainability program in Tempe.

The first cohort of the city’s Community Tree Stewards Program is now ready to educate their neighbors about the importance of shade canopies, according to a Tuesday news release.

The cohort will teach the community about nature-based strategies for fighting rising temperatures.

That’s because urban forestry can be an especially useful way to fight the urban heat island. According to ASU research, having robust trees and a shade canopy can cool down parts of a city by 10 degrees.

The program is focusd on cooling down heat-vulnerable areas, such as the Alegre, Victory Acres, University Heights and Escalante neighborhoods.

How will Community Tree Stewards Program help Tempe?

Eric Iwersen, Tempe’s transportation and sustainability director, said the program will build resilience in not only the city’s environment, but also its populace.

“Trees and our shade canopy play a crucial role in Tempe’s ecosystem, and we believe that by empowering individuals through this program, we can make a significant impact on our environment,” Iwersen said in the release.

In addition to teaching the community about properly caring for and maintaining trees, the program will also educate locals about planting techniques and tree biology.

It’s one way the city is trying to cover 25% of Tempe with trees and shade canopies by 2040. It’s over halfway there, with 14.4% of the city covered by trees and a shade canopy.

Ultimately, the program will help cool the city down as extreme heat brings temperatures up — especially in lower-income areas, according to city officials.

“We are thrilled to launch this program and see our community members take an active role in caring for our trees,” Iwersen said.

What do volunteers with the Community Tree Stewards Program do?

Tree stewards who are part of the program will play a key role in their communities by serving as the “go-to” person for questions about planting or maintaining trees.

Participants in this stewardship program must spend three hours a week promoting urban forestry in Tempe. They split their hourly work between being in classrooms and being out in the field.

In addition to educating neighbors, they’re also responsible for learning about the most optimal places to plant trees. On top of that, they also keep track of trees serving the community by conducting a community tree inventory.

Each cohort of tree stewards will also lead a planting event.

In 2025, there will be two cohorts of tree stewards serving the city.

The first cohort, which welcomes residents of the Baseline-Hardy neighborhood and the town of Guardalupe will take place in the spring.

The second cohort will be open to people living in Alegre, Escalante, University Heights, Victory Acres and Apache-Price neighborhoods. This second cohort will be held in the fall.

Volunteers can sign up online.

It’s worth the time investment, according to program participant Catlin Covarrubias.

“I think it’s amazing that the city is coming to us and teaching us these practices of caring for our trees,” Covarrubias said in the release. “It’s really great to see more of a ‘grassroots’ movement of people that really care about trees and want to incorporate that into their neighborhoods.”