PHOENIX — For three decades, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has used its annual DATOS report to examine the economic impact of the state’s Hispanic community.
As the chamber prepares to release its 2026 report, environmental quality is taking center stage — including the benefits of trees and the disparities in tree canopy across the Valley.
The report identifies environmental quality as one of the elements of a healthy community. That focus has brought the chamber’s work into conversation with organizations such as Trees Matter, a nonprofit focused on expanding and improving the Valley’s urban tree canopy.
Ali Guttenberg, planting programs manager at Trees Matter, said the organization hopes to see Phoenix reach a 15% tree canopy across the Valley.
“I want to see more trees, more shade, more equitable access to the benefits of trees,” Guttenberg said.
Those benefits go beyond providing shade. Guttenberg said research has linked access to trees and outdoor spaces to higher student test scores, while trees can also provide mental health and food-related benefits.
But the distribution of trees is not equal across the Valley.
Guttenberg said some areas, including parts of North Phoenix and the Biltmore area, have reached about 15% tree canopy. In parts of South and West Phoenix, she said, tree canopy can be closer to 5% to 6%, with more concrete and less shade.
Guttenberg attributed some of that disparity to the history of Phoenix and the effects of historical redlining, which pushed minority communities toward parts of South and West Phoenix and areas near industrial development.
The issue aligns with the 2026 DATOS report’s broader focus on environmental quality.
DATOS is an annual publication from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is described by the organization as a comprehensive source of research on the economic impact of Hispanics in Arizona.
Dr. Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the report also highlights the growing economic influence of Arizona’s Latino community.
Villalobos said Latino purchasing power represents a roughly $4 trillion economy and has continued to grow through economic downturns, including the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The chamber hopes that economic influence can help drive broader conversations about the issues affecting Arizona’s Hispanic communities, including environmental quality.
Meanwhile, Trees Matter continues its efforts to expand the Valley’s tree canopy, one neighborhood at a time.
Guttenberg said continued development and the conversion of farmland into concrete and housing could contribute to higher temperatures.
“Trees really are the most effective solution to combat that heat,” Guttenberg said, “and make Phoenix a more livable space.”
The 2026 DATOS report is expected to provide a broader look at the economic and community impact of Arizona’s Hispanic population, with environmental quality among this year’s key areas of focus.
