American Forests’ Tree Equity Pledge

Phoenix , Phoenix (FUA), United States

City population: 5268907

Duration: 2021 – ongoing

Implementation status: Ongoing

Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level

Project area: unknown

Type of area: Residential, Mixed-use development (combination of residential, commercial, and/or industrial)

Last updated: November 2024

Phoenix faces substantial challenges related to extreme heat, air quality, and social inequity (1-11). The Phoenix Tree Equity Pledge, launched in 2021, is a comprehensive city-wide initiative focused on addressing urban tree inequity and reducing the effects of extreme heat, especially in communities most vulnerable to these conditions (1-12). Partnering with American Forests, the country’s oldest conservation nonprofit, the initiative aims to achieve “tree equity” by 2030, ensuring all neighborhoods receive the benefits trees offer (1). To reach this goal, the city will focus on enhancing tree coverage in underserved neighborhoods through the development of a Residential Tree Equity Accelerator, which plans to plant 20,000 trees across 25 neighborhoods by 2030 (1-12). By utilizing the Tree Equity Score developed by American Forests, the city can monitor progress, identify areas of need, and measure the impact of these projects (2-4, 9, 11). To foster public engagement, the initiative will collaborate with residents, businesses, and local organizations to support tree-related projects, raise awareness of the benefits of trees, and promote tree stewardship (1, 4, 15). Additionally, the project aims to create green opportunities within the community by establishing supportive policies and regulations for tree planting and care and by creating pathways to green jobs (1, 7-9, 13-14). Recognizing that heat affects communities unequally, the Tree Equity Pledge seeks to increase canopy coverage in targeted neighborhoods, improving air quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, and enhancing overall community health (1, 7-9, 13-14).

An overview of a road in a residential neighborhood in Phoenix showcasing the limited tree cover.

A Phoenix street is sparsely populated with foliage.

Hunter Fore

Overview

Nature-based solution

Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Railroad bank and track greens
Green parking lots
Green playgrounds and school grounds

Key challenges

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Regulation of built environment
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Improving physical health
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social justice and equity
Sense of community and community engagement
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Employment/job creation

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

Climate-Related Hazards
Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
Environmental Degradation
Air pollution
Land use and Socio-economic change
Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of green corridors (including connectivity between urban and rural ecosystems), Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities, Introduction of NBS governance practices involving marginalised groups, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Citizen science and monitoring initiatives (e.g. species observations, habitat assessments, and data collection efforts)

Project objectives

The Phoenix Tree Equity Pledge has several key goals: 1.Ensure that all neighborhoods, especially those in marginalized communities, have equitable access to the benefits of trees (1-11). 2. Increase the percentage of tree canopy coverage in the city, with a specific goal of 25% by 2030 (1, 3-4, 6). 3. Mitigate the impacts of extreme heat, improve air quality through tree planting and sequester carbon (2-3, 6, 10-11). 4.Enhance community well-being by providing shade, reducing heat-related illnesses, and improving physical health (1-2, 4, 10). 5. Generate new forestry jobs in undeserved communities (1-2). 6. Build stronger community connections and empower residents to participate in tree care and environmental stewardship through participation in decision making processes and maintenance activities (1-4, 9, 11). These goals are interconnected and reflect a commitment to creating a more sustainable and equitable city.

Implementation activities

The Phoenix Tree Equity Pledge has implemented various activities to achieve its goals of increasing tree canopy cover, addressing climate change, and improving public health. The key implementation activities include: 1. Establishing a partnership between the City of Phoenix and American Forests to reach "tree equity" by 2030 (1-4). 2. The creation of the Phoenix Metro Urban Forestry Roundtable, where more than 50 organizations come together to set goals together and partner on every aspect of the work (3). 3. Using the American Forests’ Tree Equity Score as a foundational tool for setting its Tree Equity goal and for prioritizing where to increase tree planting and tree care for vulnerable communities (3). 4. Mapping out 'cool corridors' that align with high pedestrian use and low tree canopy across the city (3). 5. Developing a Residential Tree Equity Accelerator to plant 20,000 trees across 25 neighborhoods by 2030. (4).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising)

Climate change mitigation:

Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Low-income neighborhoods, Urban heat islands, Minority or marginalized ethnic groups

Main beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Citizens or community groups
Young people and children
Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups , Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed), Disadvantaged ethnic or racial groups

Governance

Management set-up

Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Government Actors: The city of Phoenix and Maricopa County developed and implemented the Tree Equity Pledge though policy support, collaboration with community members, and funding (1-12). Non-Government Actors: American Forests played a significant role in the initiative through developing the Tree Equity Score, providing technical expertise and support, raising funds for tree planting projects and building partnerships with community organizations (1-3, 5, 7). Citizens or community groups: The Phoenix Metro Urban Forestry Roundtable which comprises of people from more than 60 different municipalities, nonprofits and corporations, as well as both of Arizona’s largest universities (2).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown

... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The American Rescue Plan Act (9) )

... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Phoenix Tree and Shade Masterplan (8) & Phoenix Climate Action Plan (12))

Type of enablers

Capacity-building projects, Technological innovations, Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

Public local authority budget
Public national budget
Public regional budget
Corporate investment
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Commercial banks

Type of funding

Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Donations

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour
Provision of expertise

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Expected lowered local temperature
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
Energy efficiency improvements
Expected energy efficiency improvements
Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
Water management and blue areas
Increased protection against flooding
Expected increased protection against flooding
Green space and habitat
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Expected increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Increased number of species present
Expected increased number of species present

Economic impacts

Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)

Socio-cultural impacts

Social justice and cohesion
Improved liveability
Expected improved liveability
Improved access to urban green space
Expected improved access to urban green space
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Expected increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Health and wellbeing
Improved physical health
Expected improved physical health
Education
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Other

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Economic impacts, High maintenance costs

References

Estes, C. (2021). Phoenix Pledges Tree Equity For All Neighborhoods By 2030. [Source link];

Simon, J. (2023). Tree Equity is helping to combat extreme heat in Phoenix . [Source link];

Daley, J. (2023). Tree Equity is growing in Phoenix. [Source link];

Gallego, K. (2023). Towards a More Resilient Phoenix: How One Desert City is Tackling Extreme Heat Challenges. [Source link];

Arizona Sustainability Alliance (n.d.). Cultivating Tree Equity: Empowering Urban Forestry in Maricopa County and Greater Phoenix. [Source link];

Bradshaw, Z. (2023). Phoenix funding trees and shade structures for underserved communities. [Source link];

American Forests (n.d.). Phoenix Tackling extreme heat through Tree Equity. [Source link];

Selly, T. (n.d.). Phoenix tries again with an updated shade plan to help cool the city. Here's what to know. [Source link];

Meiners, J. (n.d.). Big data and a money tree: How Phoenix decides where to create more shade. [Source link];

10.

Frederico, J. (n.d.). In low-income Phoenix neighborhoods, the lack of shade trees is a question of equity. [Source link];

11.

American Forests (2023). Tree Equity Score Analyzer Maricopa County, AZ. [Source link];

12.

City of Phoenix (2022). Phoenix Receives Major Donation for Urban Forest. [Source link];

13.

Office of Heat Response and Mitigation (2022). Update from the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation. [Source link];

14.

Citizen Tree & Shade Committee (2018). Citizen Tree & Shade Committee ORDINANCE GUIDELINES – 2018 Jan 30. [Source link];

15.

Phoenix City Hall (2022). PHOENIX ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY and SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION URBAN HEAT ISLAND/TREE AND SHADE SUBCOMMITTEE (UHITS) MINUTES. [Source link];

16.

Seely, T. (n.d.). Phoenix wanted more shade trees by 2030, but is falling far short of goals. Here's why. [Source link];

Nine individuals standing nearby a newly planted tree.

American Forests' work in Phoenix is multi-fold, including training for urban forestry careers, local and corporate partnerships and tree plantings like this one from April 2022.

Michael Jennings / American Forests