Renowned ‘Arborifessor’ will talk trees at Lakewood Park on August 1st

Trees throughout central and northeast Ohio will be in the spotlight this summer when the Tour des Trees to benefit TREE Fund launches from Columbus, OH, on July 29. Roughly 75 cyclists will ride over 500 miles in a week to raise money for tree research and education and raise awareness of the importance of mature trees in supporting strong, resilient communities. 2018 marks the 26th anniversary of the ride, and the first return to Ohio in over twenty years. Over the thousands of miles, the Tour des Trees has been a key means by which TREE Fund has issued over $3.4 million in direct program grants since 2002 and educated millions of people on the importance of our urban forest.

The City of Lakewood will host a tree-mendous event for youth as part of the Tour’s visit to the Cleveland area on August 1. Toronto arborist and veteran Tour cyclist Warren Hoselton, aka Professor Elwood Pricklethorn, will present a kid-friendly short course in tree science starting at 1:00 p.m. at Lakewood Park (14532 Lake Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107).

The Professor’s 45-minute interactive program focuses on how trees grow, where and how to plant a tree so it will live a long life, and what kids can do to care for the trees in their world. At the end of the program, Professor Pricklethorn will lead participants in a dedication ceremony for a tree in the park. Each child will receive a Professor Pricklethorn workbook and a book about trees courtesy of The Davey Tree Expert Company and TREE Fund.