Join recreational, professional, and canopy research climbers from around the world as we come together at the Annual Tree Climbing Rendezvous! This year's gathering is being hosted by Tree Climbers International in honor of our 25^th Anniversary. It's going to be fabulous!

DATES: Starts Thursday, September 25; ends after breakfast on Monday, September 29^th.

LOCATION: Simpsonwood Conference Center in Norcross, Georgia, about 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta's Hartfield-Jackson Airport.

Simpsonwood (www.simpsonwood.org) is a perfect spot for this event. It's situated on 225 wooded acres on the Chattahoochee River, with countless big trees to climb and adventure in. The trees on this property represent many of the South's typical species, so you'll have your pick of a variety of beautiful and challenging trees to climb -- red, white and black oaks, poplars, pines, etc. We'll be staying onsite in several buildings with hotel-quality rooms. Many participants have already registered for campsites, and the campgrounds are now full and closed to further registrations. However, there is a large hidden grove of tall spreading white oaks for people who want to spend one or more enchanting nights sleeping in the treetops.

Simpsonwood's large Rollins Conference Center has a huge dining area and enough small and large conference rooms for all our workshop and evening session needs. Depending upon drought restrictions, we may even have access to a full-size swimming pool.

Atlanta weather at the end of September is usually ideal for tree climbing. Average temperatures are in the 70’s during the day and in the 60’s at night, comfortable for those who want to sleep aloft. Late September is also the height of bird migration in the southeastern United States, so lots of interesting birds will be seen in the varied habitat at Simpsonwood. We’re sure that all participants will go home happy, refreshed, and with wonderful lifelong memories!

PARTICIPANTS: All climbers are welcome to attend as long as you can climb a tree using rope and saddle and can bring your own basic gear. If you're fairly new to tree climbing, you'll find many others who will be able to give you great pointers, and you'll get to see and probably try a wide variety of equipment. If you're a seasoned climber, you'll have the pleasure of introducing lots of new folks to the wonderful camaraderie of the tree climbing community.

WORKSHOPS AND EVENING SESSIONS:

This year's Rendezvous has many great workshops planned, including:

• "Beginning Splicing Skills" (Nick Araya)
• Bird-Watchers Morning Walks with local expert birders
• "Dynamics of the Forest" (Mark Fulton, Professor of Biology, Bemidji State University, Minnesota)
• "Gear for Sleeping in the Trees" (Viola Brumbaugh, New Tribe)
• "Arboriculture: An Amazing Profession" (Sharon Lilly, Past President and current Director of Education, International Society of Arboriculture)
• "Single Rope Technique (SRT) Climbing" (Tom Dunlap)
• "Modern Marvels" [Tree Gear] (Tobe Sherrill, SherrillTree)
• "Tree Risk Assessment" (Peter Jenkins, TCI)
• "Enter Tree Time" (Tim Kovar, Tree Climbing Northwest)
• "Treetop Camping" (Forrest Kelly)

We’ve also arranged some fabulous evening events. Three well-known personalities will speak, including:

• Keynote speaker, Margaret ("Canopymeg") Lowman, Director of Environmental Initiatives and Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at New College of Florida; well-respected canopy researcher and author of Life in the Treetops, It’s a Jungle Up There, and other books and publications (book signing following lecture) [Saturday, 7:30 pm];
• John ("Johnsan") Gathright, Founder of Tree Climbing Japan and the first PhD in “Treehab”; author of the first research articles published in scientific journals about the benefits of recreational tree climbing [Sunday at 4pm];
• Robert Fulghum, narrator of “Tickle the Sky,” the first film about recreational tree-climbing; storyteller and author of It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It (with a chapter on tree climbing), All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten, and many others [Friday, 7:30 pm].

In addition, we’ll be holding a new tree climbing event called the “Tree Golf" competition. Contestants will pay $20 and compete for half the jackpot and other prizes with their throw weight skills; the other half of the jackpot will be donated to the "Tree Fund" and a second tree-related research or charity organization.

RENDEZVOUS FEES:

The flat fee for the Gathering includes lodging and all meals Thursday from noon through breakfast on Monday. Vegetarian and gluten-free choices will be offered at every meal. There are no fees associated with workshops.

The following rates apply:

Single room: $600 per person

Double room: $450 per person (there will be opportunity at a later date to specify room partner)

Daily Rate: $175 per person (local participants only). Includes lunch and dinner all four days.

Children who are experienced climbers are welcome to attend. Non-climbing spouses or significant others are also welcome to come relax, enjoy Simpsonwood's lovely walking trails, and spend time with your partner's old and new friends. The same fees apply.

Please do not bring pets!

As of 9/19/2008, please call the TCI office at 404-377-3150 to register.

BASIC TREE CLIMBING COURSE: FULL

FIRST AID/CPR COURSE:

A four-hour first aid/CPR (adult/child) course will be taught at the conference facility on Monday morning, September 29, by a regional faculty member of the American Heart Association. It provides a two-year certification. Cost is $60, which includes classroom materials. Rendezvous participants are encouraged to take this course. Space is limited.

TCI FACILITATOR PROGRAM: FULL

LAST BUT NOT LEAST!:

TCI has opened a new thread on the TCI website Forums specifically for participants to be able to communicate with each other about any aspect of the Rendezvous. Please feel free to post your ideas, questions, suggestions, etc.; we will be watching this thread carefully. Please email us if you have special needs or questions.

We look forward to seeing you in September!

Remember! Your registration is not complete unless you have made a payment! Please register each participant separately.

Pictures of the 2007 Rendezvous in Colorado courtesy of Don Stanford. Thanks!

We are grateful to the following sponsors for their support for the 2008 Tree Climbing Rendezvous:

"Gold Leaf" Sponsor ($1,000)

"Green Leaf" Sponsors ($500)

People Already Registered