In a bid to cool off some of the hottest corners of the valley, Las Vegas is picking up the tab for drought-tolerant shade trees, plus professional planting and irrigation, for qualifying homeowners. City officials say the program is designed to pump more shade into neighborhoods that need it most and to take a bit of the edge off those ever-hotter summers.
To get in on the deal, you have to live in one of six ZIP codes: 89101, 89102, 89104, 89106, 89107, or 89110. The city has posted an online map and details for applicants, with priority going to central and east Las Vegas areas where tree canopy is thinnest, as outlined by the City of Las Vegas.
The giveaway plugs directly into the city’s Urban Forestry Program and its 2050 master plan, which sets a goal of planting 60,000 drought-tolerant trees by mid-century. City documents also note that Las Vegas currently maintains roughly 40,000 trees in parks, medians, and public facilities, according to the 2050 Master Plan.
Who qualifies and how to apply
Homeowners in the designated ZIP codes can apply through the city’s online form to receive a free tree, professional installation, and an irrigation system as part of the program. The effort is backed by $5 million in federal grants, according to FOX5. Applications are being accepted through the city’s application form.
What the city will plant
The planting list leans heavily on hardy shade trees that can survive life in the Mojave with limited water. Approved species include desert willow, palo verde, red push pistache and eucalyptus, according to Las Vegas Weekly. Officials say these picks are meant to maximize shade while keeping water use and maintenance in a realistic range.
Why the push now
The National Weather Service and local forecasters have been logging an unusually warm stretch for the valley, with December 2025 landing as the warmest December on record and January temperatures running above normal, according to National Weather Service data and local reporting. Scientific analyses have repeatedly ranked Las Vegas among the nation’s fastest-warming cities, a pattern planners cite when steering shade projects toward heat-vulnerable neighborhoods, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal and federal climate data.
Rollout and what to expect
City staff say plantings are being targeted using a mix of census data, temperature records and aerial canopy studies, which is shaping a block-by-block rollout across eligible neighborhoods. Local coverage reports that the program has averaged about 1,000 plantings so far, that the full application-to-installation process generally takes from several weeks up to about a month, and that the package often comes with a one-year maintenance check, according to Las Vegas Weekly…