EAST LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — More trees and more shade could be coming to east Las Vegas as the city works toward long-term goals aimed at expanding its tree canopy and creating cooler spaces in some of the hottest parts of the valley.
The effort is part of the City of Las Vegas’ 2050 Master Plan, but City Forester Brad Daseler said creating that future canopy requires years of planning.
“We're three or four years in the future saying, ‘Hey, we want to grow this species of tree,’” Daseler said.
The city is working to install more than 60,000 new plants across the valley, according to Daseler. The work is part of the park maintenance budget the city already has in place.
WATCH | Making Las Vegas cooler with more green spaces
Those plantings range from large and small trees to shrubs and bushes, giving the city different options depending on the location.
“Our job is to bring shade and green space into the properties that we manage,” Daseler said. “Because they're so diverse, we need a diverse collection of trees to kind of continually improve those sites and add to our tree canopy.”
The ultimate goal is not simply to add greenery. Daseler said increasing natural shade can give residents places to escape the intense Southern Nevada heat.
“It's a shaded area. It's somewhere where people can relax and get some reprieve from the desert heat,” he said.
The effort is especially significant in East Las Vegas, which Daseler and the National Weather Service identified as among the hottest parts of the city. According to information gathered for this story, the summer of 2026 was the second hottest on record.
Daseler described the heat as “exceptionally high,” adding that conditions can be even hotter downtown and on the east side.
For East Las Vegas resident Hope Hesch, more trees would be a welcome addition.
Hesch recently moved to the east side from Henderson and said she noticed a difference in the amount of greenery and shade.
“I couldn't believe how nice it was to be out and go on those pathways and have those trees,” Hesch said of Henderson.
She hopes to eventually see more of that environment in East Las Vegas, but she also wants the city to consider the realities of planting in the desert.
“They just have to make sure that the trees don't use a lot of water. That's all I say,” Hesch said.
Daseler said his team experiments with more than 100 different plant species as it determines what can survive the challenges of Southern Nevada.
“We continue to experiment with trees that can withstand those challenges,” Daseler said. “We'll keep on doing it, just kind of seeing what's working and adjusting our strategy as things continue to change.”
The city is working toward increasing its tree canopy to 20% by 2035 and 25% by 2050.
If you live in city of Las Vegas zip codes 89101, 89102, 89104, 89106, 89107 or 89110, you may qualify for a free tree. Residents in these zip codes may apply online now, to qualify for a tree, planting and an irrigation system. For more information visit www.lasvegasnevada.gov/trees.
