“Tour des Trees,” America’s Major Fundraising Event for Trees

Most people believe that competitive summer sporting events begin with Wimbledon and end with the Tour de France. Not so anymore. As the world wakes up to take notice of issues like global warming and conservation, a whole new series of events have come into play.  One of them, is the annual STIHL Tour des Trees.

The 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees kicked off in New York, N.Y. on July 19 and wound through the Northeast before ending in Providence, R.I., during the International Society of Arboriculture’s (ISA) International Tree Climbing Championship on July 25. Cyclists of all ages and abilities rode with the mission to raise money for tree research and to help the public understand the importance of proper tree care in maintaining the health of our community forests and urban trees. More than 70 cyclists in the 2009 STIHL Tour des Trees planted trees along a 500-mile route beginning in New York City’s Central Park and winding across the Northeast. Riders from across the world have so far raised a total of $373,543 during this year’s tour.

For more information and to read the tour blog, please visit www.stihltourdestrees.org and watch this great footage of last year (2008)’s event:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0hns0-Hi2E