Ride for Research

I took part in the inaugural Ride for Research today; cycling 25 miles around London’s streets, visiting three schools along the way to plant trees with children and to raise money for tree research.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We visited three London schools en route: two primary schools at Harrow and Islington, and a secondary school at Hampstead.  At each school we were welcomed by the local Mayor and enthusiastic children.  They learnt a little from us about Acute Oak Decline: the disease that we were raising money to support much needed research into (read more).  We planted two trees at each school: either bird cherry or rowan, and an oak.

This was the inaugural Ride for Research that was supported by the UK and Ireland Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).  The inspiration came from the ISA’s Tour des Trees in the USA, which has seen over 4 million dollars raised for tree research since it was started in 1991.

Organisers of the UK’s Ride for Research hope that the 2011 inaugural ride will be the start of an annual event in aid of tree research.  I had a great time and I am already looking forward to next year’s Ride for Research.  A huge thank you to organiser Russell Ball, all the corporate sponsors, my fellow riders, and last but not least to the dozens of people who sponsored me.

Gabriel Hemery