Tree Initiative

Going Green for Good Health is a program to plant 60,000-plus trees by 2050 in areas of the city most affected by urban heat island effect.

About This Initiative

Overview

Residents of Las Vegas know that the city streets are H-O-T! No, we’re not talking about its vibrant and bustling culture and entertainment—we mean, quite literally, the temperature is HOT. And it’s only getting hotter. With temperatures rising annually since 1970, Las Vegas is the fastest-warming city in the United States.  Urban planners, academics and city leaders all agree that trees help to keep our communities cooler and healthier. By supporting The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE’s Tree Initiative, you can help curb those high temps in our valley neighborhoods.

Four Reasons to Plant Trees TODAY!

Enhance Neighborhood Aesthetics: Trees improve overall quality of life by adding green space to communities and enhancing neighborhood aesthetics.

Cooling Effect: Trees release water vapor from their leaves, which produces a cooling effect. The overall cooling effect of a single, mature tree is equivalent to 10 air conditioning units running for 20 hours a day.

Air Quality: Planting trees remains one of the most cost-effective ways of drawing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Research has shown a 60% reduction in particulates from car exhaust fumes on streets lined with trees.

Health/Well-Being: Trees have proven positive impact on skin cancer, asthma, hypertension, and other stress-related illness by filtering out polluted air, reducing smog formation, providing shade from solar radiation, and creating an attractive, calming setting for recreation.

Just imagine, for generations to follow, Las Vegans will admire these trees while reaping all the health benefits. Planting trees will not only produce immediate benefits for residents, they will continue to do so for many lifetimes.

Funding Opportunities

With the health and well-being of our communities in mind, The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE is embarking on a project to fund the city’s long term plan to create tree canopies across the city by planting more than 60,000 trees by the year 2050 – especially in those areas most impacted by extreme temperatures.

The goal is to raise funds to purchase both mature trees as well as nursery trees for planting.

We’re looking for donors in the following categories:

  • $1,000 will purchase 25 nursery trees; includes a personalized certificate
  • $5,000 will purchase 10 park-ready trees; includes a personalized certificate
  • $10,000 will purchase 25 park-ready trees; includes a plaque
  • $25,000 will purchase 75 park-ready trees; includes a plaque and included in a donor spotlight in a future Mayor’s Fund newsletter
  • $50,000 will purchase 150 park-ready trees; includes a plaque, be featured in a press release generated and optional ceremonial community planting event (The actual number of trees planted at any community planting event will vary depending on site and duration of the event)

In most cases, trees will be planted in the same general locations unless otherwise arranged with donors:

Individual Trees

  • Individual honorary, celebratory or memorial trees may be purchased for $450 and include a name stake. An optional plaque and concrete holder/base may be purchased for an additional $250.
  • Donations are also accepted for nursery items including soil blends, pots and specialized liners to manage tree roots.

The city’s History with Urban Forestry

The city of Las Vegas’ history as a supporter of urban forestry began in 1912 when women of the Mesquite Club planted 2,000 trees. And beginning in 1989, the city has been consistently recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Today, the city of Las Vegas employs full-time arborists to care for the city’s trees and to advance its commitment to build the city’s urban tree canopy by 20% by 2035.