Ranch arborist will cycle to raise urban forest funds

EAST COUNTY — Just thinking about back-to-back 100-mile rides can make even the most veteran cyclist cringe.

But Lakewood Ranch resident Tammy Kovar is up for an even bigger challenge.

From Aug. 5 to Aug. 11, Kovar, a local arborist, will embark on a 585-mile ride through Oregon to help educate the public about tree care, then raise support for local tree programs during the Tour des Trees.

“It has to be done,” the 50-year-old said, adding she likes a challenge. “Who better to do it than me?”

The event is a fundraiser for the Tree Research & Education Endowment Fund, an organization committed to supporting sustainable communities and environmental stewardship by funding research, scholarships and education programs pertaining to the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry. Kovar is hoping to raise $5,000 for the cause.

“The goal is to raise research dollars to protect urban forests,” said Kovar, owner of Biological Tree Services and Tree Fund liaison for the local chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. “It supports important causes for Florida, too.”

“This whole trip is about education,” she said. “We will be planting trees everywhere we go. It’s an action, volunteer vacation. Giving is good.”

Kovar said her love of trees and nature developed as a child, while she was backpacking along the Appalachian Trail with her stepfather. Although in college she aspired to be a stomach surgeon, she took a botany class that re-invigorated her desire to work with the outdoors.

“It inspired me to change the world in that area,” Kovar said. “I’m a problem solver, and (now) every day I get a new problem to solve (with nature).”

This year’s participation in the Tour des Trees will be Kovar’s second ride for the cause. She rode in 2008 from Indiana to St. Louis.

“I hadn’t ever ridden more than 30 miles,” she said, shaking her head and remembering the saddle sores she acquired.

Although still not a veteran rider, Kovar is more prepared this time, even though she hasn’t been able to train for Oregon’s hilly terrain. She typically rides between 25 and 40 miles, at least three times a week.

Although Kovar loves nature and trees, she knows that the cause is not one that ranks at the top of most individuals’ funding priorities. But, she said, the cause is one to which everyone should be able to relate.

“Everybody owns a tree,” she said. “If you want to continue to have canopies grow in our cities, this is a great way to donate and stand up for your belief.”

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

INFORMATION
To donate to Tammy Kovar’s ride in the Tour des Trees, visit active.com/donate/STIHLTourdesTrees12/1236TKovar.
Donations are 100% tax deductible.
For more information about the event, visit stihltourdestrees.org.