Urban Forestry Management Plan and Tree Inventory

The City of Montgomery, Alabama is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms experienced in arboriculture, urban forestry, GIS, or natural resource management to assist in the creation of a comprehensive 10-year Urban Forestry Management Plan that will enhance Montgomery’s urban forests and guide its urban forestry program to foster a sustainable forest. The management plan will provide the framework needed to preserve, maintain, add, and remove trees in public green spaces. We require a complete tree inventory for the city using TreePlotter software which can be shared and periodically updated using GIS shapefile.

The deadline for proposal submission is December 23rd, 2025. Please refer to the proposal as 2026-RFP-002 Low Urban Tree Canopy Enhancement in Montgomery, Alabama.

The City of Montgomery has long been prideful of having an aesthetically and environmentally beneficial greenspace. Montgomery being the state capital of Alabama, it is imperative that we keep our city's green spaces clean and environmentally healthy for our residents. Montgomery boasts a wealth of natural beauty from the mature oaks of its historic districts to the open grasslands of parks, trails, and other recreational events. Montgomery’s Urban Forestry division was created in 2004 followed by a massive boom in tree planting. This was influenced by strong public support with proper budgeting which in return provided a denser, healthier, and more aesthetically pleasing urban forest we enjoy today. Staff include an Urban Forester, an Urban Forest Coordinator, and a technician. Each position contributes heavily to the well-being of city trees, new and old. Currently, the division is operating with just the Urban Forester. The objectives set forth on this project aren’t ideal for just one staff member to navigate alone. With the rise of urbanization and development, the city’s urban forestry division has the duty to preserve, maintain, and plant new trees to counter the heat island effects arising from new developments and impermeable infrastructure.

City limits reach around 165 square miles and home to around 200,000 residents. The city recognizes the importance of building and maintaining a healthy canopy of trees not only for residential areas but for all available green spaces. Montgomery has around 35% tree canopy cover using tree assessment tools. Our goal is to reach at least 40% to maintain a sustainable tree count within city limits for future generations to come. Other goals include mitigating heat island effects in residential areas, reducing stormwater runoff, and reducing CO2 emissions while adding or removing hazardous trees in areas of need.
To address this, the City of Montgomery was awarded a grant through the USDA Urban and Community Forestry program. Leveraging these funds and community support, the City of Montgomery aims to develop an Urban Forestry Management Plan and a standard Tree Inventory for the Montgomery area. Separate funds are allocated for procuring and installing 600 new trees for public and private properties. This includes the addition of street trees, replacement trees, and parks set aside exclusively for areas of low canopy coverage. However, tree planting and maintenance will have its own advertised request for proposal.