Cities like Phoenix, Chicago, and Boise are prioritizing urban reforestation as critical green infrastructure to combat extreme heat, address environmental inequities, and foster community revitalization.

Cities across the U.S., including Phoenix, Chicago, and Boise, are embracing urban reforestation as a critical strategy to address urban heat, environmental inequities, and community revitalization. Phoenix, the first U.S. city to commit to full tree equity, recently launched its Shade Phoenix master plan, aiming to plant 27,000 trees and install 550 shade structures by 2030, backed by $60 million in public and private funding. Similarly, Chicago is working to bridge tree canopy disparities with its $46 million initiative to plant 75,000 trees over five years, while Boise’s City of Trees Challenge targets one tree for every household by 2030. These efforts demonstrate the growing recognition of trees as vital green infrastructure that provides environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Community engagement is central to these programs, with cities like Chicago forming tree equity working groups and involving diverse stakeholders to ensure that tree planting efforts address historical disinvestment in underserved neighborhoods. American Forests, a nonprofit advocating for tree equity, underscores the life-saving potential of urban trees, noting that low-income and majority-minority communities often face extreme heat due to lower tree canopy coverage. The Inflation Reduction Act has further bolstered these initiatives by directing $50 million to tree planting projects nationwide, enabling cities to integrate trees into urban planning as essential infrastructure alongside roads and utilities.
These ambitious programs highlight the long-term value of strategic urban reforestation, not just in mitigating climate challenges but also in enhancing public health, property values, and livability. By focusing on equity and sustainability, cities are creating cooler, healthier environments while fostering trust and participation among community members. As urban areas continue to adapt to extreme heat and climate change, leaders are increasingly treating trees as indispensable assets, planting the seeds for a greener, more resilient future.
FULL STORY: Growing equity from the ground up with municipal tree-planting

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont