Husqvarna Donates to Tree Fund to Support Arborist Education and Safety Initiatives

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Husqvarna, the world's largest producer of outdoor power products, is helping to increase workforce safety within the arborist industry by donating $12,500 to the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund's (TREE Fund) Safe Arborist Techniques Fund during the International Society of Arboriculture's 2012 Conference and Trade Show.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average job growth in the arborist industry is projected to be 18% from 2010 to 2020 – and the fatal injury rate was 14.3 per 100,000 full-time workers in 2010.

"Husqvarna understands the potential dangers that exist in the fields that our customers work in, and this is why safety features are an important standard across all of our products and why we value the research which helps to develop safer equipment and practices in our industry," says John Marchionda, vice president of marketing for Husqvarna. "Arborist work can be particularly dangerous, and we chose to support the Safe Arborist Techniques Fund because the TREE Fund is a leader in promoting safety and education to protect the arborist workforce."

The Safe Arborist Techniques Fund supports research focusing on techniques and equipment used in climbing, rigging and working on trees, and education of the workforce in order to create a safer working environment for tree care professionals. The Fund is administered by the TREE Fund, which is the leading non-governmental source of funding for research and education programs in the field of arboriculture.

Husqvarna will complete the donation during the International Society of Arboriculture Trade Show and International Tree Climbing Championship this weekend August 11^th and 12^th in Portland, Oregon's Laurelhurst Park. Husqvarna will be on site sponsoring the Master's Challenge awarding the top men's and women's climbers of the competition.

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About Husqvarna

The Husqvarna Group is the world's largest producer of outdoor power products including chainsaws, trimmers, lawn mowers and garden tractors. The Group is also the European leader in consumer watering products and one of the world leaders in cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The product offering includes products for both consumers and professional users. The Group's products are sold via dealers and retailers in more than 100 countries. Net sales in 2010 amounted to SEK 32 billion, and the average number of employees was approximately 15,000.

About TREE Fund

The TREE Fund is the leading non-governmental source of funding for research and education programs in the field of arboriculture (the science of cultivating and managing trees in a landscape). Its mission is to support sustainable communities and environmental stewardship by funding research, scholarships and education programs essential to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry. The foundation has distributed more than $6 million to date, in the form of scholarships and research grants to students and professionals in the industry. Knowledge gained from more than 400 TREE Fund research grants since 1976 directly affects tree care practices, people's lives and arborists' techniques every day.

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SOURCE Husqvarna