2011 STIHL Tour des Trees VA2DC Tour

Dust off your bike helmets, stretch out those calf muscles, and brush up on your environmental knowledge! Registration is open for the 2011 STIHL Tour des Trees VA2DC Tour! “What is this event?” you asked, intrigued by its lengthy title. Continue on, good readers, for I shall tell you. First, you should probably understand what TREE is if you are not already familiar with the group. TREE, or the “Tree Research Education and Endowment Fund,” is dedicated to “to identify[ing] and fund[ing] projects and programs that advance knowledge in the field of arboriculture and urban forestry to benefit people, trees, and the environment.” They're a wonderful group that supports nature research around the world, and, according to their mission statement, "the results of TREE Fund-supported research affect people’s lives and arborists’ techniques every day." The Tour des Trees is TREE's largest fundraising event, and it is a primary means of raising public awareness about the necessity and benefit of trees. The first day of the 2011 tour, October 2, is a 30-mile ride around Virginia Beach. Seven days later, the tour ends at Washington D.C. Overall, the riders cover close to 500 miles, and the trip includes areas like Richmond, Williamsburg, and Charlottesville. If you would like to participate in this enjoyably worthwhile event, registration will be open until September 25, 2011, so there is plenty of time to sign up! Looks like it's going to be a fun week with some great destinations and a lot of wonderful people (not to mention the health benefits of all the calories you will burn)! [caption id="attachment_436" align="aligncenter" width="300"] © StihlTourDesTrees.org/[/caption] By Tara Stoll