(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) – STIHL Inc., manufacturer of the nation’s number one selling brand of outdoor power equipment,* returns for the fourth year as the title sponsor for the 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees, and has committed as title sponsor of the event through 2014. This year marks the company’s eleventh year of sponsorship of the Tour, which just completed a record-breaking fundraising campaign to benefit the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund.

“STIHL’s leadership, coupled with the support of our other sponsors and the dedication of our cyclists, made it possible for the STIHL Tour des Trees to raise an unprecedented half-million dollars for the TREE Fund in 2011, despite a difficult economy”, said Janet Bornancin, President/CEO of the TREE Fund. “Good tree care requires top-quality tools, and tree care professionals rely on STIHL products to care for and maintain the health of the trees in their communities. STIHL’s commitment to the Tour, the TREE Fund and the research that powers progress in arboriculture is inspiring. We count ourselves fortunate to have such a generous and engaged title sponsor for our signature fundraiser.”

The 2012 STIHL Tour des Trees marks the 20th anniversary of the event, which has raised more than $5 million for tree research and education since the first Tour rolled from Seattle to Oakland in 1992. This year’s cyclists will tackle a 585-mile loop through Oregon Aug. 5-11, a “life list” ride that will showcase the region’s iconic scenery and diverse eco-zones. The Pacific coast, Mt. Hood, the Columbia Gorge and Oregon’s vineyards, orchards and high desert will provide spectacular backdrops for a week of challenging cycling, educational programs, community engagement and fun. The Tour will return to Portland August 11 for a one-day recreational Ride for Research, and conclude with a Finale Celebration at the International Society of Arboriculture’s annual International Tree Climbing Championship.

“The TREE Fund supports research that is vital to trees and those who care for them, and we are pleased to be a continued part of supporting the research that helps ensure healthy trees for future generations,” said Anita Gambill of STIHL Inc. “We look forward to breaking more fundraising records this year.”

More information on the STIHL Tour des Trees, including information on sponsorship, rider registration or donating to the TREE Fund is available at www.stihltourdestrees.org. Photos from the 2011 Tour are available at http://stihltourdestrees.org/2011/10/2011-stihl-tour-des-trees-photo-gallery/

About STIHL Inc.:

STIHL Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America for homeowners and professional landscapers*, as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the world. STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast — not mass merchants. 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) or visit the STIHL dealer locator on the STIHL website at www.stihlusa.com.

*”Number one selling brand” is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research (commercial landscapers) as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2011 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.

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, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), National Hispanic Landscape Alliance and the National Association of State Park Directors.

About the TREE Fund:

The TREE Fund’s mission is to support sustainable communities and environmental stewardship by supporting research, scholarships and education programs essential to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry.

The TREE Fund has supported research that has led to important developments in:

• Understanding air pollution reduction and carbon sequestration by trees
• Determining the costs and benefits of urban trees
• Improving conditions for tree growth in difficult sites
• Strategies to manage diseases and pests that affect urban trees

For more information, visit www.treefund.org.

Press Inquiries: Kate Lewis (757) 340-7425

All Other Inquiries: Mary DiCarlo (630) 369-8300

(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) – Register today to cycle in America’s largest fundraiser for tree research, the STIHL Tour des Trees to benefit the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund, scheduled to roll through Oregon Aug. 5 to Aug. 11, 2012.

Profiled in the travel section of Forbes and on CNN, the STIHL Tour des Trees offers riders a unique opportunity to see the world from their bikes while contributing to tree research and education. This year, cyclists will be challenged with a 585-mile loop through Oregon, a “life list” ride that will showcase the region’s iconic scenery and diverse eco-zones. The Pacific coast, the Columbia River Gorge, vineyards, high desert and Mt. Hood will provide spectacular backdrops for a week of tree plantings, educational programs, community engagement and fun.

Riders for the full weeklong Tour commit to raising $3,500 for the TREE Fund. The $100 registration fee covers room, board, a custom apparel kit and full mechanical and rider support for the duration of the ride. A partial-Tour registration option also is available for those wishing to join the Tour for part of the week. Registration is open until May 28 at www.stihltourdestrees.org, or until the event reaches its 100-rider capacity.

The 2012 Tour marks the 20th Anniversary of the first Tour des Trees, in which 13 cyclists pedaled nearly 1,000 miles from Seattle to Oakland in a week to raise money for tree research. The Tour will feature a one-day Ride for Research on Aug. 11 in Portland, and conclude with a Finale Celebration at the International Society of Arboriculture’s annual International Tree Climbing Championship. Local and recreational cyclists are invited to join the Tour for the day and celebrate its legacy during this ride through one of America’s best cycling cities.

Last year’s STIHL Tour des Trees raised a record-breaking half million dollars and planted 45 new trees during its weeklong trek from Virginia Beach to Washington, D.C. To date, the Tour has raised more than $5 million to support tree research and education and funded a variety of projects including improved strategies for pest and disease control, new techniques for increasing the post-planting survival rate of street trees, and development of safer equipment and practices for tree care professionals.

Photos and videos from previous Tours are available at http://stihltourdestrees.org/2011/10/2011-stihl-tour-des-trees-photo-gallery/. Learn more at www.stihltourdestrees.org.

About the TREE Fund:
The TREE Fund’s mission is to support sustainable communities and environmental stewardship by supporting research, scholarships and education programs essential to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry.

The TREE Fund has supported research that has led to important developments in:

• Understanding air pollution reduction and carbon sequestration by trees
• Determining the costs and benefits of urban trees
• Improving conditions for tree growth in difficult sites
• Strategies to manage diseases and pests that affect urban trees

For more information, visit www.treefund.org.

About STIHL Inc.:
STIHL Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America for homeowners and professional landscapers*, as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the world. STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast — not mass merchants. 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) or visit the STIHL dealer locator on the STIHL website at www.stihlusa.com.

*”Number one selling brand” is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research (commercial landscapers) as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2011 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.

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, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), National Hispanic Landscape Alliance and the National Association of State Park Directors.

Press Inquiries: Kate Lewis (757) 340-7425

All Other Inquiries: Mary DiCarlo (630) 369-8300

October in Virginia proved to be nearly perfect for cycling.

STIHL’s Roger Phelps and 3-time ITCC world champion Mark Chisholm led the Ride for Research out of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center October 2 under chilly, drizzly skies, but the day was brightened by the enthusiasm of local riders and Team STIHL. The Tour’s title sponsor pulled out all stops to ensure that the Virginia Beach events were fully staffed with volunteers, well stocked with refreshments, memorable for their “special effects” (a fire truck at the lead, a rock band at the finish) and fun. TREE Fund Partner Dominion also provided a hybrid bucket truck to escort the Ride for Research. Six new trees were planted that first day, and Celina and Cheyanne Harris, daughters of Dominion’s Bonita Harris, will long remember their tree plantings with the Tour and their ride on the fire truck.

Historic sites and trees dotted the 2011 itinerary. Tree plantings at Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello gave veteran Tour riders an opportunity to revisit trees they’d planted in 2000. On Tuesday Richmond’s Bob Bluford, a 92-year-old advocate for the preservation of historic Virginia land, turned out to tell the story of gathering the last acorns from the 400+ year old “Lee Tree,” a massive oak under which Robert E. Lee conferred with his officers during the civil war. Hurricane Isabel felled the original Lee Tree in 2003, but a sapling “Lee Tree” propagated from an acorn from the original and, planted and blessed by the 2011 STIHL Tour des Trees, now graces the grounds of Virginia’s state capitol.

The educational opportunities created by the Tour’s October timeline provided some of the most memorable moments of the ride. Toronto arborist and veteran Tour rider Warren Hoselton, aka Professor Elwood Pricklethorn (“Arborifessor Extraordinaire”), captivated school kids in Palmyra and Leesburg with his engaging reenactments of photosynthesis and his tuneful entreaties to “give trees a chance”.

Volunteers from Dominion distributed tree seedlings and coloring books to children at both events and helped plant the largest tree of the Tour at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. Crown Sponsor Bartlett Tree Experts donated 500 copies of Bonnie Worth’s “I Can Name 50 Trees Today” to the 2011 Tour, which were distributed to schools and libraries along the Tour route and to the State Arboretum of Virginia.

Thursday’s 12-mile continuous ascent to Skyline Drive was the ride’s biggest challenge, and those who conquered “The Escarpment” on two wheels were hailed as heroes at the top. The reward was an 8-mile serpentine descent to the hotel and dinner at the Front Royal home of Tour rider Tom Armstrong.

The Tour reached Washington, D.C. on Saturday, October 8. The cyclists were given a warm welcome at the National Arboretum, where they planted a rare hybrid maple, Acer griseum x A. pseudoplatanus, a spontaneous cross of paperbark and sycamore maple. Casey Trees hosted the Tour for lunch at their new headquarters in DC, and then sent them on their way to American University, where award-winning environmentalist, author and Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell delivered the keynote address at the closing ceremonies. The Tour and the University community were treated to an outdoor concert sponsored by STIHL at the University amphitheater, featuring the Tom Principato Band with Leavell on keyboards for the last set. (Photo: big check)

Photos from the VA2DC Tour are posted on the website at www.stihltourdestrees.org. Rookie Tour rider (and talented photographer) Helen Steussy also captured her experience in beautiful detail in her blog. Find a link on the Tour website and at www.treefund.org

The fundraising campaign for the VA2DC Tour continues through Dec. 30. This year’s goal of $500,000 is within reach. Your donation will make a difference in the TREE Fund’s 2012 research budget and help a Tour rider reach their “personal best” in fundraising as well as hill-climbing. Donate today at www.stihltourdestrees.org.

Experience the 2011 Tour through the blog of first-time Tour rider (and talented photographer) Helen Steussy.

2011 Tour des Trees Blog

More than $5 million raised through America’s Largest Fundraiser for Trees

Virginia Beach, Va. (Oct. 12, 2011) - Sixty-five cyclists from across North America took to Virginia’s scenic byways last week for the 2011 STIHL Tour des Trees to benefit the TREE Fund, America’s largest fundraiser for tree research. This year’s Tour has already raised more than $460,000 for the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund, and the event’s legacy includes 45 new trees in Virginia and Washington, D.C., planted during the Tour’s outreach and education programs.
 
The weeklong cycling event kicked off at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach, Va., on Oct. 2. The cyclists continued on to Williamsburg, Richmond, Charlottesville, Front Royal, and Reston, finishing their journey in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 8 with a finale concert celebration at American University with Rolling Stones keyboardist and conservationist Chuck Leavell. Highlights of the 2011 STIHL Tour des Trees included tree plantings in Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello and the state Capitol grounds in Richmond and 65 miles of spectacular cycling along the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Tour also stopped at Columbia Elementary School in Palmyra, where the entire school turned out to help plant a new tree and learn about how trees grow from the Tour’s youth education specialist, “Professor Elwood Pricklethorn” (aka Warren Hoselton, veteran Tour rider and arborist from Toronto, Canada.)

“I am continually inspired by the dedication of the cyclists of the STIHL Tour des Trees,” said Janet Bornancin, executive director of the TREE Fund. “We’re fortunate to have a corps of cyclists who return to ride the Tour each year, and this year we welcomed 19 first-time riders to our ranks. They conquered some incredible hills this week, and raised a record-breaking amount of money for tree research despite a difficult economy. The STIHL Tour des Trees is the lifeblood of the TREE Fund, and the money raised each year funds the research that sustains our urban forests.”

Donations can still be made to the TREE Fund through the STIHL Tour des Trees website, www.stihltourdestrees.org, and photos from each of the events are available on the media page.

Since the Tour began in 1992, more than 970 riders have helped generate more than $5 million for tree research and education programs which have helped fund a host of different projects that have addressed disease and pest management, urban planting challenges, tree biomechanics and workforce safety.

“The TREE Fund supports research that is vital to trees and those who care for them,” said Anita Gambill of STIHL Inc., a leading manufacturer of outdoor power equipment which has sponsored the Tour for 11 years. “We are pleased to work with these tree care professionals and give back to our community by supporting the research that helps ensure healthy trees for future generations.”

Sponsors of the 2011 STIHL Tour des Trees included STIHL Inc.; Bartlett Tree Experts; Asplundh Tree Experts; Dominion; KASK Helmets; The Davey Tree Expert Company; Arizona Public Service; Mid-Atlantic STIHL; National Grid; PG&E; PacifiCorp; Arborwell; Casey Trees; Ford Motor Co.; Lewis Tree Service; the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA); NGK Spark Plugs; West Coast Arborists Inc.; Lebanon Turf; Tech Tree Experts Inc.; Trees, Inc.; Valley Crest; Vermeer; Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center; and Wright Tree Service.

About the TREE Fund:
The TREE Fund’s mission is to identify and fund projects and programs that advance knowledge in the field of arboriculture and urban forestry to benefit people, trees, and the environment.

The TREE Fund has supported research that has led to important developments in:
• Understanding air pollution reduction and carbon sequestration by trees
• Determining the costs and benefits of urban trees
• Improving conditions for tree growth in difficult sites
• Strategies to manage diseases and pests that affect urban trees

For more information, visit www.treefund.org.

###

You can support the Tour riders on their toughest day by making an online donation to the Tour, a team or an individual rider. OR text from your mobile device: Donate (space) the $$ amount of your choice and your favorite rider’s/team’s name to 27138 to charge your donation to your credit card. (Ex: text: “DONATE 50 HSTEUSSY” OR “DONATE 100 TEAMWISCONSIN” to 27138). You’ll receive a phone call to confirm your credit card info. The Tour conquered the toughest climb of the ride today.

You can help us top our fundraising goal, set at $500,000 to support research and education. Please donate today to help the 2011 Tour reach the top of that hill!

See News Clip >>

Charlottesville Education Event

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 3

Read Article on iReport >>

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 4

Read full article on iReport >>

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 6