Register Now for STIHL Tour des Trees Silver Anniversary Ride in the U.S. Capital Region
Cycling fundraiser for tree research marks 25 years planting seeds about the importance of trees
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Ride the Silver Anniversary STIHL Tour des Trees, the nation’s leading fundraiser for tree research and education. The 500-mile journey will travel through Maryland, Virginia and our nation’s capital this summer and combines urban cycling, scenic trails and camaraderie to benefit tree research. The event is from July 30 – Aug. 5, 2017. Rider registration opens Feb. 6.
All funds raised by riders go to TREE Fund, which works to sustain the world’s urban forests by providing funding for scientific research, education programs and scholarships related to arboriculture and urban forestry. Throughout the week, riders will participate in tree plantings, educational programs and community engagement activities all geared towards raising awareness of the importance of the urban forest to our health and well-being.
“Year after year, we see a passion for cycling and the environment bring people from different professions and backgrounds together to promote the importance of tree research,” said Roger Phelps, corporate communications manager for STIHL Inc. “At STIHL, caring for nature is at the heart of who we are. As the title sponsor of the Tour, we are proud of the work TREE Fund continues to do to promote tree research and education in our communities. We look forward to an exciting milestone anniversary ride in our nation’s capital.”
ABOUT THE TOUR
STIHL Tour des Trees is the largest community engagement and fundraising event for TREE Fund. In 2016, the tour raised more than $400,000 for tree research and education programs aimed at connecting young people with the environment and career opportunities in green industries. Since 2002, TREE Fund has issued nearly $3 million in research grants for urban forestry and arboriculture researchers, as well as student scholarships and community education program grants. Ongoing research provides communities and tree care professionals proven strategies on how to better propagate, plant and care for trees, creating a more resilient and healthier urban canopy for generations to come.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
The Tour also marks its 25th year with something new — looped routes staged from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Annual International Conference and a 25th-anniversary party for Tour and conference participants on Aug. 1.
The 2017 STIHL Tour des Trees route consists of several loops throughout the Capital region and rolls out of National Harbor, Md.:
• Day 1: Jul. 30 – Prince George’s County, Md. Loop
• Day 2: Jul. 31 – Annapolis, Md. Loop
• Day 3: Aug. 1 – Washington, D.C. Loop (National Mall tour)
• Day 4: Aug. 2 – Leesburg, Va. Loop
• Day 5: Aug. 3 – National Harbor, Md. To Gainesville, Va. (overnight stay)
• Day 6: Aug. 4 – Gainesville, Va. to National Harbor, Md.
• Day 7: Aug. 5 – 25th Anniversary Slow Roll Community Ride Loop
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Registration for the Tour is limited to 100 cyclists and closes on May 31 or when the roster reaches capacity. Riders are encouraged to register early to ensure a spot. Each full-Tour cyclist commits to raising $3,500 for TREE Fund. The $100 registration fee covers lodging and meals for the week, a custom apparel kit and full mechanical support. A partial Tour registration option with a prorated fundraising requirement is also available starting April 3.
Photos and videos from previous Tours are available at stihltourdestrees.org/photos-videos/. Learn more at stihltourdestrees.org.
About TREE Fund
TREE Fund is a 501(c)3 charity dedicated to the discovery and international dissemination of new knowledge in urban forestry and arboriculture (the science of caring for trees in a landscape). TREE Fund manages a portfolio of scholarships and education grants to engage and support the next generation of tree stewards, and multiple research grants to improve the science, safety and practice of arboriculture.
With support from individual donors and Partners, TREE Fund research has contributed to:
• Improving conditions for tree growth in difficult sites
• Developing strategies to manage diseases and pests that affect urban trees
• Improving utility line clearing practices
• Understanding air pollution reduction and carbon sequestration by trees
• Determining the costs and benefits of urban trees
For more information, visit treefund.org.
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America,* as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the world. STIHL is also the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment among U.S. landscape professionals.** STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not big box stores. Located in Virginia Beach, Va., STIHL Inc., the headquarters for U.S. operations for the worldwide STIHL Group, exports to over 90 countries around the world; and the majority of STIHL products sold in America are also built in America.* STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of a local STIHL retailer, call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445), visit STIHLusa.com or text your zip code to 78445.
*A majority of STIHL gasoline-powered units are built in the United States from domestic and foreign parts and components. “Number one selling brand” is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2016 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers. **“Number one selling” claim based on 2007-2016 syndicated Irwin Broh Research of the U.S. professional landscaper market.
STIHL is pleased to support the work of Independent We Stand, the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund), International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), National FFA, National Association of Landscape Professionals, the National Recreation and Parks Association, the National Association of State Park Directors and the North American Retail Hardware Association.
For information on job opportunities with STIHL Inc., please go to www.stihlcareers.com. STIHL is an EEO and drug-free work environment.
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