As the sun in Phoenix blazes with relentless intensity, the city is stepping up with an ambitious $60 million plan to give its residents a much-needed break: more shade. Responding to rising temperatures and a desert landscape that makes such relief a rarity, Phoenix’s Shade Master Plan aims to place over 27,000 new trees and 550 shade structures across the city. But it’s not just about trees—think awnings, canopies, and finding smart shade solutions targeted where they’re needed most, benefiting especially lower-income areas.
Why does this matter in Minot? In a place where many question whether climate change is really happening, it’s important to wonder why a place like Phoenix would see a need spend $60 million on shade if they didn’t see a hotter future on the horizon. Maybe climate change is happening, maybe it isn’t. What’s undeniable is that people, places, and institutions are preparing. What’s equally interesting in Phoenix is the value of and investment in trees. They are an often under-appreciated asset.
