Next Generation of Tree Stewards

Kids planting trees at school.

Growing the Next Generation of Tree Stewards in the Desert Southwest

Trees are Cool Initiative
Students with little experience with nature and urban forests will soon participate in classroom and hands-on tree planting activities thanks to a $825,000 grant provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program in partnership with Trust for Public Lands. Funds will be used to show students how to grow a greener, cooler, healthier community. This program, Growing the Next Generation of Tree Stewards, supports Mesa's Climate Action Plan and Trees Are Cool Initiative. 

Mesa Public Schools, in partnership with Mesa, Arizona Sustainability Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, water conservation professionals and urban foresters, will offer interactive education projects that show students how to grow a healthy urban forest, increase tree canopy coverage, mitigate urban heat, and use our community’s precious water resources efficiently. Students will learn how to grow a sustainable urban forest on their school campuses and in the community for future generations.

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