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Tree-Athlon 2009 – Healthier you, Healthier city, Healthier planet

By slhaf | June 11, 2009

In the spirit of a traditional triathlon, the Tree-Athlon is a three part event organized by the independent charity Trees for Cities. It includes a 5km run around an award winning park, the chance to make a tree wish (and share it with the world!), and the opportunity to take home your very own sapling to plant. Register online now at www.tree-athlon.org and start your tree-loving training!

All funds raised from the Tree-Athlon will go towards tree planting projects in London, UK cities and beyond. Money raised in previous years went towards the creation of outdoor classrooms in London schools, planting new woodland plots in Leeds, a community orchard in Manchester, continuing native tree conservation projects in Peru, training local women in tree conservation in Ethiopia, and planting thousands more trees in Nairobi to help reforest the city.

Tree-Athlon Events:

Saturday 19th September 2009
London (Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ)
9.30am – 2 pm
 
Sunday 27th September 2009
Leeds (Temple Newsham, LS15 0AD)
10.30am – 3pm 
 
Sunday 4th October 2009
Manchester (Heaton Park)
10.30am – 3pm

The registration fee is £20 per person for the London Tree-Athlon and £10 per person for the Leeds and Manchester Tree-Athlons. Every runner is asked to raise a minimum sponsorship target of £25.

Healthy facts:

Healthy runners
 
-Running is considered one of the most effective ways of getting fit and keeping a healthy weight.
- Running helps fight certain diseases. Apart from reducing the risk of stroke and breast cancer, running is recommended by doctors to patients who are in the early stages of osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension.
- Research has shown that running is a good way for many people to unwind from daily stress.
 
Healthy cities
 
-  Asthma rates for children fall 25% for every extra 350 trees per sq km
- For every 5% of tree cover added, water run-off is reduced 2%
- A treeless street is 5.5C (10F) warmer than a tree-lined one in hot summers
- Property in treeless streets is worth up to18% less than buildings in roads that have trees
- People are attracted to live, work and invest in green surroundings
 
Healthy planet
 
- 1 acre of trees reduces 2.6 tons of CO2 per year
Trees help to mitigate climate change (see healthy city above)

Trees for Cities is an independent charity that plants trees and re-landscapes public spaces in urban areas of greatest need. The charity’s vision is to stimulate a greening renaissance in cities around the world that will impact on global warming and beautify the urban landscape, as well as encouraging greater social cohesion through the active participation of local people. A special effort is made to involve children and young people in all of the projects. The public can get involved by sponsoring trees, registering as a volunteer, enrolling in training programmes, taking part in the Tree-Athlon and going to fundraising parties – see www.treesforcities.org for more information.

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