Extreme heat is one of the greatest dangers facing Southern Nevada. In response, leaders in Las Vegas are planting trees to deliver cooling relief that’s desperately needed. The increasing severity of climate change exacerbates this challenge, making it crucial for city officials to seek effective measures to protect residents from soaring temperatures. Last year, more than 500 residents died from heat-related causes in the area. During that same period, emergency room visits for heat-related illness increased almost 40 percent from 2023 to 2024.
The city has an incredible climate plan to plant 60,000 trees by 2050. Through providing shade and lowering ambient temperatures, this initiative intends to make communities livable for all. Urban trees significantly mitigate urban heat, experts say, and should be part of the solution. They can’t be the whole solution for this multifaceted problem.
The Science of Cooling with Trees
The idea of using trees to cool urban environments is rooted in their ability to provide shade and release moisture through transpiration. Peter Ibsen, a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, said Las Vegas would see huge benefits from the thermal amelioration trees provide. In fact, he argues that it has more potential for this benefit than any other sizzling city in the country.
“Trees are one part of the heat mitigation toolkit,” – Peter Ibsen
Aesthetics aside, the science behind trees as a cooling force is complicated. It’s really not that simple, and here’s why. Ariel Choinard, coordinator of the Nevada Heat Lab, noted that trees have never been a “silver bullet” for cooling cities.
“There’s an emotional reaction to hearing that trees weren’t the one weird trick to solve Las Vegas being one of the fastest warming cities in the nation,” – Choinard
Even Las Vegas’ modest tree canopy can lower the surrounding air temperatures by almost 35 degrees at night. Their benefit on air temperature overall is usually negligible. Juan Henao Castaneda clarified that when measuring air temperature, the cooling impact of trees is almost always minimal.
“When you measure air temperature, the cooling effect of trees is usually very, very low,” – Juan Henao Castaneda
This complexity raises some notable questions. How effective can trees be, on their own, as a solution for combatting extreme heat in cities?
The Commitment to Urban Greenery
Now, Las Vegas leaders are trying to get ahead of increasing temperatures and their associated health risks. They have committed to doubling the number of trees and urban plants in the city. The city has an ambitious goal of planting 60,000 new trees by 2050. This initiative represents a significant commitment to directly tackle climate change and improve public health. Through the partnership of UNLV’s Las Vegas Urban Forest Center, they aim to add 3,000 trees by 2028.
Choinard deeply impressed upon the volunteers that although trees do so much, they take a lot of time and effort just to survive in a brutal desert climate.
“Trees are a solution. They are not the solution, but they will still provide people with incredible relief,” – Choinard
The city runs cooling centers, which open in response to extreme heat warnings called by the National Weather Service. These cooling centers provide community members with safe spaces to avoid the oppressive heat. These hubs are instrumental in shielding at-risk communities from the impacts of extreme heat and cold spells.
Challenges Ahead
Yet even with these exciting, encouraging, and hopeful developments, significant challenges persist in implementing tree-planting initiatives equitably and effectively, and their maintenance for the long haul. Proper tree maintenance and care are key components of this approach. Without ongoing commitment and funding, this work can stall as states lose momentum in the long run.
Mejia serves on the board of directors for Smart Growth America and Transportation for America. She stressed the importance of data-driven decisions in guiding future policies on urban forestry.
“The beauty of what we are doing is we are creating basic information to help guide policy in the future,” – Mejia
As Las Vegas finds its way through the climate crisis, it will need to root its ambitious goals in reality, to continue making progress. Collaboration among city officials, researchers, and community organizations will be key to promoting a more sustainable approach to managing urban heat.
