UPDATE 7/27/2021: We have had requests for Leopold Benches shipped outside of our local area. Due to their weight and size it would not be economical to do this. They will be available for local pickup only (zip code 19382 area). Also, due to some other construction projects, I haven’t had any shop time this year. We will target to have benches available for order for spring 2022.
Noreen found a photo of a really cool bench that we thought would make a nice addition to our back yard. She has been working on building trails along the hill and planting native plants among the trees. The back yard has great potential and a neat view from the top of the hill. Adding a trail to better define spaces and give us a fun path to follow has helped get us started. Our kids now love to run and play along the trail, we take daily walks, and Noreen’s having fun finding home for new plants along the trail. The addition of a Leopold Bench gives us a nice place to sit and look down over the yard.
The Leopold bench was invented by Aldo Leopold, the famous conservationist. he built it when he wanted to sit down in his house garden.
If you would like a Leopold Bench of your own, let us know and pre-order yours (expected pricing to be around $150). If you would like to build your own, plans can be found here. (https://www.bhg.com/gardening/design/projects/leopold-bench/). $25 of each bench purchase is donated to the Aldo Leopold Foundation to help support a future of teaching, learning, inspiring, and changing lives through the legacy of Leopold.
Aldo Leopold (January 11, 1887 – April 21, 1948) was an American author, philosopher, scientist, ecologist, forester, conservationist, and environmentalist. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin and is best known for his book A Sand County Almanac (1949), which has sold more than two million copies.
Leopold was influential in the development of modern environmental ethics and in the movement for wilderness conservation. His ethics of nature and wildlife preservation had a profound impact on the environmental movement, with his eco-centric or holistic ethics regarding land.[1] He emphasized biodiversity and ecology and was a founder of the science of wildlife management.[2]
It was here, on his bench, that Leopold often observed the birds, forest and wildlife around him. At first glance, the bench design is indistinguishable from most other benches. But this model holds a functional usefulness not readily apparent. By sitting backwards with legs through the opening, the backrest now provides a sturdy support for the elbows while using binoculars or cameras to observe nature around you.
Learn more at https://www.aldoleopold.org/