By 
December 24, 2025
From green spaces and public parks to neighborhood streets and outdoor classrooms, Huntsville’s Landscape Management and Green Teams spent 2025 expanding the tree canopy, on public outreach initiatives and fostering environmental stewardship.
Powered by dozens of dedicated employees and thousands of volunteer helping hands, this year’s department efforts reflect what’s possible when City teams and residents come together to care for the spaces we all share.
Green Team, a Keep America Beautiful affiliate and a division of the City of Huntsville’s Landscape Management Department, launched a citywide cleanup campaign that was supported by an astounding 2,166 volunteers who gave their time and energy to make Huntsville cleaner and more inviting. In total, Green Team hosted 303 cleanup events in 2025.
The hugely popular Green Team Adopt-a-Spot program now boasts 115 partner groups that include community organizations, companies, school and sports teams, church and friend groups taking long-term ownership of public spaces. These volunteer groups reinforced a shared commitment to stewardship.
Citywide annual cleanup events like Earth Day in April and National Cleanup Day in September were all community events coordinated by Green Team to keep the City clean year-round. In 2025, volunteers collected 91 tons of garbage, including cleanup efforts tied to community events like Panoply. These efforts focused on parks, waterways and gathering spaces, making a visible difference where residents live, play and connect.
“Volunteers are the heart of what we do,” said Niki Sothers, Manager of Green Team.
More trees took root in 2025 as department volunteers and employees planted a whopping 1,052 trees during events like the Mayor’s Tree Planting Day, Cavalry Hill Tree Planting Day and other citywide tree initiatives. The annual planting events bring together community volunteers who want to help grow Huntsville’s tree canopy – one of the City’s most important natural resources.
“Each tree we plant is a growing investment in our quality of life, and they’re one of the most powerful tools for building sustainable, livable cities,” said Brian Walker, Director of Landscape Management. “Trees provide shade, cleaner air and beauty for decades to come. It’s inspiring to see so many people come together to make that kind of lasting impact.”
Landscape’s planting efforts support the City’s broader goals for sustainability and environmental stewardship. In addition to tree planting, Green Team coordinated litter cleanup and recycling education and organized beautification projects throughout Huntsville. In August, Green Team celebrated the 50th annual City of Huntsville Beautification Awards. In all, 347 commercial and residential properties were recognized for their outstanding contributions through superior landscaping and well-maintained properties.
Education and public engagement remained at the heart of the Green Team mission in 2025 with more than 7,864 schoolchildren participating in Green Team Ambassador programs. Students learned about litter prevention, environmental responsibility and civic pride. Those programs are planting seeds that will grow far beyond a school year.
In addition to all the tree planting, cleanup and educational outreach in 2025, Landscape crews logged 13,560 curb miles of neighborhood street sweeping, helping keep streets clean, safe and storm ready. They also planted and maintained hundreds of blooming planting beds and brightly-colored hanging baskets throughout the City.
“Every cleanup event, every tree, and every mile swept reflects a team effort between our staff and the community,” Walker said. “Our employees and residents take immense pride in Huntsville, and it shows. Because of their efforts, we all live, work and play in a more beautiful City.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
As impactful as 2025 has been, the work is far from finished.
Plans are underway for the Veterans Memorial Tree Grove, announced in Fall 2025. The grove will be a place of reflection and remembrance that honors service while strengthening the city’s tree canopy. The proposed site is along Elgie’s Walk Greenway, between Grissom High School and Bell Mountain Park in south Huntsville.
Also in 2026, Landscape Management will unveil a new City Arboretum featuring intentional plantings designed to educate, inspire and showcase the diversity and resilience of Huntsville’s urban forest. This living landscape will serve as both a public gathering space and a long-term investment in sustainability.
With continued volunteer engagement, thoughtful planning, and a shared commitment to stewardship, Huntsville is poised to grow even greener in the years ahead.
