"Pledge Overview

Through the Tucson Million Trees initiative, City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero pledges to plant one million trees by 2030 to increase the city’s tree canopy and help mitigate the effects of climate change, including reducing the heat urban island effect.

At the center of the Tucson Million Trees initiative is the Mayor’s commitment to equity by creating green spaces in all communities and especially in frontline and low-income communities that are most impacted by climate change and extreme heat and have historically been most affected by environmental degradation.

This pledge will take place from: 2020 to 2030

Partner Entities

Tucson Clean and Beautiful, Trees for Tucson

Tree Planting and Regeneration

MY PLEDGE WILL INCLUDE TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES.

Trees:1,000,000

ACTION DETAILS

AFFORESTATION

Trees:10,000

PLANTING TREES IN DEVELOPED AREAS

Trees: 800,000

FACILITATING NATURAL REGENERATION

Acres:338 / Trees: 190,153

Supporting actions

Nursery Development: The City of Tucson, in collaboration with Tucson Clean and Beautiful and Trees for Tucson, will develop the city’s tree production capacity to support the Tucson Million Trees initiative.

Data and Technological Tools: The City of Tucson is developing GIS mapping tools to overlay stormwater flow, tree canopy cover, and socio-economic indicators of vulnerable populations. This tool will be used to plan, design and monitor neighborhood scale tree planting.

Tree Protection Management: The Tucson Million Trees initiative will simultaneously invest in passive stormwater harvesting infrastructure for long term sustenance of urban trees Tucson’s increasingly hotter, dryer climate.

Workforce Development: Tree planning and planting activities will employ underserved youth trained in tree biology and tree care as well as green infrastructure best practices and leadership of volunteers.

Environmental Education: Partnering organizations will continuously orchestrate a public information campaign about the social, environmental, and economic benefits of trees. Youth Leaders, Volunteers and Residents will be trained in the planting and care of trees and maintenance of passive stormwater harvesting features.

Responsible & Equitable Forestry

The implementation of the Tucson Million Trees initiative will be two-pronged. First, it will be science-based, utilizing best urban forestry practices that are specific to our desert climate. Native and drought resilient trees will be planted, and passive stormwater harvesting infrastructure will be considered to capture, retain, filter stormwater to irrigate and sustain desert shade trees.

Second, it will be people-centered, ensuring that the neighborhoods that are most vulnerable to extreme heat—which are often low-tree canopy and low-income communities of color—are prioritized and included in the planning and planting of new trees. Working with partners, we will nurture environmental stewards and tree leaders, especially from communities most impacted by extreme heat and environmental degradation, to support the initiative’s planning, implementation, and monitoring and ensure its long-term sustainability.

Carbon Benefits

SEQUESTERED AFTER 50 YEARS

681,939 MT CO2e"