Turning down the heat: New trees take root at Mesa’s Reed Park – ABC15 Arizona

Community-Led Urban Greening Initiative in Mesa, Arizona: A Report on Sustainable Urban Development

Project Summary and Core Objectives

In response to rising urban temperatures, a community initiative was undertaken at Reed Park in Mesa, Arizona, where over 100 volunteers planted 100 trees. The project is a strategic effort to foster a cooler, healthier, and more sustainable urban environment. The primary objectives align with several key performance indicators for sustainable community development.

• To increase the urban tree canopy cover in a targeted low-canopy area from 8% to a goal of 15%.
• To mitigate the urban heat island effect, as shaded surfaces can be 20 to 40 degrees cooler than unshaded areas.
• To improve local air quality, particularly near high-traffic areas and public transit stops.
• To implement sustainable water management practices through integrated stormwater harvesting.
• To enhance community well-being and engagement through volunteer-driven environmental stewardship.

Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This initiative serves as a practical application of several Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating a localized approach to global challenges.

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The project directly contributes to making urban settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. By increasing green public spaces, the initiative enhances the quality of life for residents and builds resilience against extreme heat. The creation of a shaded, walkable corridor to a public bus stop promotes sustainable urban mobility.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   Planting trees is a direct measure to combat climate change and its impacts. The project addresses the urgent need for climate adaptation in a region experiencing record heat. By lowering surface and air temperatures, the new tree canopy helps mitigate the local effects of global warming.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   The environmental benefits translate directly to public health outcomes. Reduced ambient temperatures lessen the risk of heat-related illnesses. Furthermore, trees act as natural air filters, improving respiratory health for the community, especially for vulnerable populations using public amenities like parks and bus stops.

4. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   A key innovation of this project is the integration of stormwater harvesting infrastructure. By redesigning the landscape to capture rainwater, the project reduces urban flooding and promotes groundwater recharge. This approach supports sustainable water management, with the goal of making the new plantings self-sufficient and not reliant on municipal water sources after an 18-month establishment period.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   The success of the initiative is rooted in a multi-stakeholder partnership involving non-profit organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and Watershed Management Group, the municipal government of Mesa, and active participation from local community volunteers. This collaboration exemplifies the cooperative spirit required to achieve sustainable development.

Conclusion and Future Implications

The Reed Park tree planting project is a model for mindful urban development that works in harmony with the natural environment. It demonstrates that community-based actions can yield significant progress toward achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals. The high level of volunteer engagement suggests a growing public desire for such initiatives and provides a replicable framework for other communities seeking to build climate resilience and enhance urban sustainability.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article connects the tree planting initiative to creating “healthier” communities. It explicitly mentions that trees “help clean the air, especially valuable near busy streets and bus stops,” which directly relates to reducing the health impacts of air pollution.
2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The project includes reshaping the park to “harvest stormwater better, so rain flows into the ground instead of flooding parking lots.” This addresses sustainable water management. Furthermore, the article notes that once established, the plants will not require additional watering, promoting water conservation.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • This is a central theme. The effort aims to make communities “cooler, greener, and healthier.” The article discusses increasing tree canopy cover, improving public spaces like Reed Park, and providing walkable corridors to public transport (bus stops), all of which contribute to creating more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The initiative is a direct response to the “fourth-hottest summer on record” and is part of a “bigger mindset shift as the region adapts to hotter temperatures.” Planting trees to create shade and cool neighborhoods is a clear strategy for climate change adaptation.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The project is a collaborative effort involving “more than a hundred volunteers,” The Nature Conservancy of Arizona, and the Watershed Management Group. This demonstrates a multi-stakeholder partnership between civil society organizations and the local community to achieve common sustainability goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article’s mention of trees helping to “clean the air” directly supports this target by mitigating air pollution in an urban area.
2. Under SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors. The project’s design ensures that after an establishment period, “we don’t need to water them,” which contributes to efficient water use in an arid region.
   • Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management. The project involves community volunteers and local groups like the Watershed Management Group in implementing stormwater harvesting, directly aligning with this target.
3. Under SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality. The goal of cleaning the air with trees aligns with reducing the environmental impact of the city.
   • Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces. The project focuses on planting trees in Reed Park, a public space, to improve its quality and accessibility, especially for those using the nearby bus stop.
4. Under SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The entire initiative is framed as an adaptation strategy to extreme heat (“hotter temperatures”), a direct climate-related hazard.
5. Under SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The collaboration between volunteers (“civil society”) and organizations like The Nature Conservancy exemplifies the partnerships needed to achieve the goals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Tree Canopy Cover Percentage: The article provides a clear, measurable indicator. It states the current canopy cover is “just at 8%” and the goal is to “be around 15% canopy covered.” This directly measures progress towards Target 11.7 (improving green public spaces).
2. Surface Temperature Reduction: The article mentions that “Shaded surfaces can be 20 to 40 degrees cooler.” This provides a quantifiable indicator of the project’s effectiveness in climate adaptation (Target 13.1). Progress can be measured by comparing temperatures in shaded vs. unshaded areas.
3. Number of Trees Planted: The article states that “volunteers planted 100 trees.” This is a direct output indicator of the project’s implementation and contribution to increasing green infrastructure.
4. Water Consumption for Landscaping: The statement that “we don’t need to water them” after 18 months implies an indicator of reduced municipal water use for park maintenance, which can be measured to track progress towards Target 6.4 (water-use efficiency).
5. Level of Community Participation: The mention of “more than a hundred volunteers” serves as an indicator for community engagement and successful partnership building (Target 17.17).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: abc15.com