August 2022

"The TREE Fund grants provide credibility and validity to research focused on the tree care industry that can be used to leverage additional state and federal funding sources. I found the support of the TREE Fund for my research to be incredibly important when I was a professor at Ohio State University, and I’m very pleased to be paying it forward as a member of the TREE Fund Board of Trustees and chair of the research committee."

--Daniel A. Herms, PhD, Vice President of Research and Development,

The Davey Tree Expert Company

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John Z. Duling Grant Program

Provides start up or seed funding to support innovative research and technology transfer projects.

Award amount: up to $25,000 (minimum $10,000)

100-Word Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) accepted August 1 to September 15, 2022

For approved LOIs only, applications accepted August 1 to October 1, 2022

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Jack Kimmel International Grant Program

Provides funding for arboriculture research by applicants working primarily outside of the United States.

Award amount: up to $10,000 (minimum $5,000)

100-Word Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) accepted August 1 to September 15, 2022

For approved LOIs only, applications accepted August 1 to October 1, 2022

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Bob Skiera Memorial Fund Building Bridges

Initiative Grant Program

Supports projects which will help arborists and urban foresters communicate the value of trees and urban forests on a global basis through technology transfer and engagement with developers, builders, civil engineers, city planners, elected officials and other policymakers.

Award amount: up to $30,000 (minimum $10,000)

100-Word Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) accepted August 1 to September 15, 2022

For approved LOIs only, applications accepted August 1 to October 1, 2022

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ISA chapter liaisons to the TREE Fund volunteer to mentor scholarship winners

Demonstrating the generous spirit of the tree care profession and the mission of the TREE Fund, five members of the Liaison Committee have volunteered to serve as mentors to the TREE Fund's most recent scholarship winners.  

• Kristina Bezanson, New England Chapter is mentoring Morgan Parent, student at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and recipient of the Fran Ward Scholarship.
• John Leffingwell, Western Chapter, is mentoring Olivia Liebing, student at Iowa State and recipient of the Bonnie Appleton Memorial Scholarship.
• Dave Leonard, Kentucky Chapter, is mentoring Kayla Stuart, a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and recipient of the John Wright Memorial Scholarship. 
• Alex Morris, Utah Chapter, is mentoring Kim Farris-Manning, student at the Collège La Cité and recipient of the Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship.
• Theresa Williams, Wisconsin Chapter, is mentoring Matthew Le, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and recipient of the Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship.

It's Tour des Trees time!

As we depart for this year's Tour des Trees in just a few days, the TREE Fund and all the riders thank you for your support of this year's ride.

We are not done yet!

Donations to teams or chapters can be made until September 20, and donations for individual riders or virtual participants can be made until September 30.

Donations can still be made at www.tourdestrees.org

Be sure to keep an eye on TREE Fund social media to see photos, videos, and updates from the tour.

Lead Donors

We are deeply grateful to the following people and organizations who contributed $2,500 or more to the TREE Fund in July 2022:

ArborMetrics Solutions, Inc.

Iowa Arborist Association

Midwestern Chapter ISA

Peter and Ann Sortwell

ISA Southern Chapter

See the full list of lead donors who make our vital tree research and education work possible on our website.

TREE Fund essentials

If you've ever wanted to learn more about the TREE Fund, you'll want to visit our website. It's a treasure chest of good information. Here are links to key documents:

Who is on the TREE Fund Board of Trustees?

Annual report 2021

External assessment of the TREE Fund impacts and outcomes

Strategic Plan 2021-2024

Research grant opportunities

Scholarship opportunities

Research archive

Newsletter archive

Bylaws

How can I help?

I have questions. Who has answers?

Gratitude for the TREE Fund

Matthew Le, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and winner of the 2022 Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship sent this note of thanks:

I couldn’t be happier to have been selected as the recipient of the Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship. I feel extremely honored to be receiving another scholarship from the TREE Fund.

Thank you for further supporting my education in the fields of urban forestry and arboriculture. Last year, I mentioned a summer field experience which all students in the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point must take part in. I am currently writing from the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station, part of our summer field experience, where we are practicing the skills of many natural resources fields. Later this summer, our cohort will travel to Europe to complete our session.

Receiving this second scholarship from the TREE Fund will help cover the remaining cost of this overseas experience. We’ll be learning about how natural resources are managed under European perspectives. I’m excited to see how the urban forest is managed in the places that we will visit and I can’t wait to see how trees play a part in the urban landscapes we will traverse.

This scholarship is not only financial support, but also a motivation for me to carry on in my mission to weave the natural beauty of trees into the built landscapes of our cities.

Thank you once again,

Matthew Le

Free Webinars for 2022

The TREE Fund is proud to partner with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System to bring you free education offerings. We are now able to accommodate up to 3,000 participants! 

Examining the connection between woody plant biodiversity and arthropod pest management interventions in residential landscapes

Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 7:30pm (Central Time)

Chris Riley, PhD, of Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories.

Non-invasive tree root detection: What is the state of the art?

Tuesday, Nov. 1 at noon (Central Time)

Andrew Millward, PhD, and Justin Miron, PhD student, Ryerson University

Engaging underserved populations in community

tree management activities

Tuesday, Dec. 6 at noon (Central Time)

Jason Gordon, PhD, University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.

The TREE Fund’s 1-hour webinars are free and offer 1.0 CEU credit for live broadcasts from the International Society of Arboriculture and the Society of American Foresters. Registration information becomes available on our website approximately one month before each webinar date. 

Missed a webinar? Watch it anytime on our website.

CEU Credit for Recorded Webinar

TREE Fund now offers ISA CEU credits for one recorded webinar: "Loading of a Tie-in Point While Climbing." If you missed this webinar, you can now watch the recording and earn ISA CEU credits by completing a 20 question quiz with 80% accuracy. Learn more on our website.

TREE Fund Achieves

Highest Rating

For the third consecutive year, the TREE Fund has reached Guidestar/Candid's highest level of achievement for nonprofit transparency--the platinum award. GuideStar is the world's largest and most authoritative source of information on nonprofit organizations. Major donors tend to look to GuideStar/Candid as the “seal of approval” before making donations.