Urban Forestry Strategy and Asset Management Plan Services

The Vendor is required to provide the urban forestry strategy and asset management plan will:
• Improve urban forest health, biodiversity, and resilience;
• Establish the urban forest as a managed municipal asset class;
• Improve canopy equity and access to shade;
• Support climate adaptation and heat island mitigation;
• Develop climate-ready species selection frameworks;
• Establish levels of service and operational standards;
• Develop risk-based maintenance programs;
• Strengthen policy and development standards;
• Integrate indigenous knowledge and two-eyed seeing;
• Develop a five-year operational plan and implementation roadmap;
• Position the city for future tree planting and implementation funding opportunities.
- Baseline inventory, GIS and lidar analysis
• Compile and review all available municipal data, inventories, studies, policies, and GIS information.
• Undertake lidar and high-resolution spatial analysis to determine existing canopy cover.
• Develop city-wide and level canopy assessments.
• Assess the age, condition, distribution, and composition of the existing urban forest.
• Produce canopy equity mapping and identify with limited tree canopy and greater vulnerability to heat.
• Assess tree canopy adjacent to schools, parks, trails, public facilities, sidewalks, active transportation corridors, and commercial areas.
• Produce urban heat island mapping and identify opportunities for future canopy expansion.
• Develop GIS datasets and mapping products suitable for long-term municipal use and future updates.
- Community engagement
• Utilizes multiple engagement channels and participation methods;
• Incorporates online and in-person engagement opportunities;
• Utilizes plain language and accessible materials;
• Includes interactive mapping opportunities;
• Incorporates community surveys, workshops, and public presentations;
• Engages youth, seniors, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented groups;
• Prioritizes with limited canopy and greater heat vulnerability;
• Collects community input regarding urban forest values, planting priorities, levels of service, and stewardship opportunities; and
• Provides transparent reporting of findings and recommendations.
- Draft strategy and asset management plan
• Vision, guiding principles, and strategic directions;
• Existing conditions assessment;
• Climate vulnerability assessment;
• Canopy cover and equity analysis;
• Species diversity and climate-ready species framework;
• Levels of service and planting targets;
• Five-year operational plan;
• Urban forestry policy and development standards recommendations;
• Asset management framework, lifecycle considerations, and financial strategy;
• Monitoring and reporting framework;
• Performance dashboard and key performance indicators; and
• Education, stewardship, and community capacity-building recommendations.