Healthy community forests thrive when communities have the right tools for care, management, and growth.
GFC’s Urban and Community Forestry Program offers a technical assistance program through a partnership with the Green Infrastructure Center to communities and campuses across Georgia identified as most in need of community forestry resources based on the Georgia Match Waiver Mapping Tool. Qualified communities will have portions of their community shaded in blue on the mapping tool, which identifies census tracts that are overburdened by projected natural disaster risk, pollution, canopy health and other factors. Communities that have greater percentage of qualified areas will be prioritized.
Fill out the survey application HERE. Survey application period is December 1, 2025 – Jan 9, 2026.
Communities and campuses can apply for support to map, plan for, and manage their community forests. Technical support can include:
- Canopy Mapping
Remote sensing analysis to develop tree canopy and plantable area maps, and to help establish canopy goals. Deliverables include a mini-report summarizing mapping results, goals, and strategies. - Ecosystem Benefits Modeling
Assesses ecosystem services such as stormwater uptake, urban heat mitigation, and air quality benefits. Prerequisite: completion of Canopy Mapping (A). Communities with a prior canopy map may apply directly for this. - Tree Codes Audit
Reviews local codes and policies affecting urban forest management and open space. Provides a list of recommended code updates and legal justifications to improve tree management and survival. May include assistance with updating a city tree ordinance. - Emergency Forest/Storm Planning
Helps communities prepare for and recover from storms by developing emergency forest management plans, debris removal contracts, and wood reuse strategies. Ideally completed after A–C. Includes an assessment of preparedness, response, and recovery needs; canopy mapping may be included. - New! Aging Canopy Replacement Plans
Uses public tree inventory data to forecast canopy changes and identify areas needing future replacement to maintain canopy coverage. Requires a complete and updated tree inventory (within 3–5 years). - New! Tree Design Manual
Customized tree design manual to be used as supporting documentation for city ordinances and regulations. Provides clear guidance for staff, developers, or anyone working on public property around trees. Requires at least one prior technical assistance project with GIC. - Other
Communities may request additional support related to community forest planning or management. Applicants should describe the request, estimated cost (if known), and relevance. GFC and GIC will review feasibility based on available resources.
Things to know:
How is Support Provided?
You will need to complete a short self-assessment survey. Survey application period is December 1, 2025 – Jan 9, 2026. Fill out the survey application HERE. The survey helps us to determine what support is needed. If you are chosen to receive technical support, you will receive that support directly from the GFC’s consultant, the Green Infrastructure Center. No money changes hands.
What Paperwork is Needed?
Other than completing the short survey, the only paperwork required if you are selected for technical support is a letter of commitment to participate.
What if I already know what kind of assistance we need?
You still have to take the survey. We must ensure you have all the bases covered and ask for the most strategic support for your community. So do fill out the survey. It includes a space to request project-specific support too. If you need financial support (e.g., to plant trees or hire a consulting arborist), you will need to apply for one of GFC’s Urban and Community Forestry grant programs.
What do I/my community need to contribute?
Some of your and your agencies’ time will be necessary for any technical assistance. You will need to review maps for accuracy, attend several (2-3) online workshops to review results or discuss goals, and spend time on any strategies developed – those, of course, will be your decision.
Over a year, consider that you (combined with others in your agency) might contribute a few thousand dollars of time (combined), and your community will get a project value of around $10,000.
If your community is identified as most in need of urban forestry resources, you may not need to provide a match, although a time commitment as described above will still be required for successful completion of the project. Reach out to us if you have questions.
I’m interested! What do I need to do next?
Step One: View slides or recording from the informational webinar held December 1st.
Step Two: Gather the information for the survey.
Below are the questions that will need to be answered beforehand, as the survey does not allow you to save work and come back later and must be completed in one setting.
- Does your locality have a digital tree canopy coverage map/data? How old is the data (what year was it created)?
- Does your city have a tree inventory? When was it collected, and for which areas? (entire city, neighborhood)
- Does your city have an urban forest management plan or forest master plan? How old is the plan (what year was it created)?
- Does your city have a storm mitigation plan? How old is the plan (what year was it created)?
- Does your city employ an arborist? If not, that’s okay too.
- Are you able to provide census data for the project location? Most comprehensive plans list this information, but for the most up-to-date information, visit https://data.census.gov/cedsci/ and type in the name of your community to get results for your area.
- Are you the person who will be responsible for completing applications for assistance on behalf of your city? (If no, please be sure to gain the approval necessary before applying for financial or technical support.)
Please be advised that if your answer to all # 1-5 of the above is “no,” that’s okay! Technical assistance is being provided to help your community answer “yes” to most or all of these questions in the future! For question 7, be sure to engage with the right staff or leadership from your community to ensure you can apply for assistance on behalf of your city, town, university, or other jurisdiction.
Step Three: Take the Online Survey Application. Fill out the application HERE. Survey application period is December 1, 2025 – Jan 9, 2026.
Once you complete the required online survey, you will be contacted to discuss your request and support availability. We aim to support as many applicants as possible.
Please contact Seth Hawkins at shawkins@gfc.state.ga.us or (478) 951-8286 for a paper copy if you cannot complete the online survey application due to disability or other similar reasons.