A Bench with a History

Thanks to Pat and Dede for our lovely garden benches.  Dede found the bench design in Birds & Blooms magazine and recognized how perfectly the design would suit our garden.  After much discussion, it was decided we would build the benches with lumber that was 2 inches wider than the original plans to allow for a wider seat depth. Pat applied his first-rate skills to build four of these lovely benches for our garden. Thanks to the Tucker Home Depot for the gift cards that enabled us to purchase a portion of the materials.

The Leopold Bench

The bench was designed by Aldo Leopold, “considered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United States’ wilderness system.” He was a “conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast.”

Some quotes from Aldo Leopold:

“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

“There can be no doubt that a society rooted in the soil is more stable than one rooted in pavements.”

“The art of land doctoring is being practiced with vigor, but the science of land health is yet to be born.”

“The oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.”

More information on the Aldo Leopold bench design is also available at epa.gov/greenacres/wildones/handbk/wo27bench.html.