During CityCampAZ there was a session on Urban Forests. Some ideas that might need follow up. I’m too busy, but someone needs to push for collaboration here…
- Certification of landscapers (that they understand the desert)
- Education of nurseries on right plants for the region
- Work with land developers to provide adequate shade coverage using right plants
- Produce a heat map and identify areas needing most attention
- Create coalition of some sort between cities/non profit to start marketing campaign
- Work with ASU/UofA on studies
I am sure that some of this stuff is probably under way, but it needs attention to make it happen. Please help. 
I’m not the right person for that job either, however, I can speak to #2.
From my experience, locally-based nurseries already know what the best plants for the region are, while chains just sell what they sell elsewhere. Of course, local nurseries will carry plants that are not great desert plants due to consumer demand, but, if you ask a veteran employee, they’ll point you to all kinds of great heat- and drought-tolerant options.
So how we can support local nurseries and educate the public (people buying trees for their yards, as well as developers, cities, etc.) about the right plants for the region?