VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Ride the Silver Anniversary STIHL Tour des Trees, a 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 opened 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, Maryland:
- Day 1: Jul. 30 – Prince George’s County, Maryland Loop
- Day 2: Jul. 31 – Annapolis, Maryland Loop
- Day 3: Aug. 1 – Washington, D.C. Loop (National Mall tour)
- Day 4: Aug. 2 – Leesburg, Virginia Loop
- Day 5: Aug. 3 – National Harbor, Maryland, to Gainesville, Virginia (overnight stay)
- Day 6: Aug. 4 – Gainesville, Virginia, to National Harbor, Maryland
- 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 pro-rated 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.
2017 TREE Fund Partners include: STIHL Inc.; Asplundh Tree Expert Co.; Berkshire Hathaway Energy Foundation; The Davey Tree Expert Company; International Society of Arboriculture; Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Utility Arborist Association; ACRT; Arborjet; Landscape & Irrigation; Mowbray’s Tree Service; Tree Care Industry Association; Altec Industries; KASK; Lewis Tree Service; Nelson Tree Service, Inc.; Southco Industries; Tree Services Magazine; Trees, Inc.; Wright Tree Service, Inc.; Bartlett Tree Experts; Jarraff Industries, Inc.; National Grid; PacifiCorp; West Coast Arborists Inc.; Bandit Industries, Inc.; Bayer CropScience LP; CN Utility Consulting; Duke Energy; Ford Motor Company; Michael Grimm Landscape & Tree Service; Mid-Atlantic STIHL; Ohio Chapter ISA; Quantum Spatial; SavATree; SherrillTree; Unitil; Vermeer; Workshop Creative Group; ECI (Lakeside Environmental Consultants, Inc.); Gamma Tree Experts; Indiana Arborist Association; Lentzcaping; Mid-Atlantic Chapter ISA; Minnesota Society of Arboriculture; Norscot ; Wachtel Tree Science, Inc.
