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Download a PDF versionMay 5 , 2010 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kate Davis
757.232.2526

Rolling Stones Keyboardist to Perform Benefit Concert for Trees
Conservationist, Tree Farmer, and keyboardist Chuck Leavell performs
to benefit the American Forest Foundation and TREE Fund

(CHICAGO)– Chuck Leavell, conservationist, Tree Farmer, and legendary keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, will perform at the Omni Chicago Hotel on July 17, 2010 to benefit the American Forest Foundation and the Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund. David Spero, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Board of Directors, will join Leavell for an evening of good food, great music and stories in the key of “green.” The benefit is sponsored in part by STIHL and The Bartlett Tree Experts.

“The American Forest Foundation and the TREE Fund are extraordinary organizations working tirelessly to improve the care of trees and the environment,” said Leavell. “I have a true passion for the conservation of our forests, and to be able to combine my love for the environment and my love for music for this event is such an honor.”

Leavell is one of the most respected keyboardists in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, recording and performing with the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers, Montgomery Gentry, George Harrison, Miranda Lambert, and many others. Leavell and his wife, Rose Lane, run a tree farm, Charlane Plantation, and he has become one of America’s most visible conservationists. He is a tireless advocate for environmental causes, forestry, and conservation, and is the author of three books on conservation, including a children’s book “The Tree Farmer.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. for “It’s Ours to Save—An Intimate Evening with Chuck Leavell” at the Omni Chicago Hotel, 676 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL. The three-hour benefit includes a dinner buffet and Leavell at the piano, with Spero providing commentary and opportunities for audience interaction. Tickets are $100, and attendance is limited to 200. To purchase tickets visit https://regonline.com/trees.

The benefit precedes the official kickoff for America’s largest fundraiser for tree research, the STIHL Tour des Trees to benefit the TREE Fund. The Tour des Trees is a weeklong cycling event to raise money for the TREE Fund and awareness of the need for arboricultural research to keep our trees and forests healthy. The 2010 Tour departs from Chicago’s Millenium Park at 10 a.m. on July 18, travels 500 miles through northern Illinois and concludes in Chicago’s western suburbs with a one-day “Ride For Research” to The Morton Arboretum on July 24. The Tour launch and the Ride for Research are open to the public. To ride, volunteer or donate to either event, visit www.stihltourdestrees.org.

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:

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

For more information, visit www.treefund.org.

About The American Forest Foundation
The American Forest Foundation (AFF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) conservation and education organization that strives to ensure the sustainability of America’s family forests for present and future generations. Our vision is to create a future where North American forests are sustained by the public which understands and values the social, economic, and environmental benefits they provide to our communities, our nation, and our world. www.forestfoundation.org.

About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the world’s largest selling brand of chain saws and produces a full line of powerful, lightweight, and versatile handheld outdoor power equipment for homeowners and professional users. 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 the closest STIHL retailer, call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit the STIHL Web site at www.stihlusa.com.
STIHL is pleased to also support the work of the Tropical Forest Foundation, the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), National FFA, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), and the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD).