Stihl Brings Legendary Outdoor Experts Together to Teach Future Generations
Stihl Inc. brought together two of the outdoor industry’s most renowned experts – P. Allen Smith and Chuck Leavell – for the filming of a television series at Smith’s Garden Home Retreat near Little Rock, Ark. Leavell, who is a noted conservationist and runs a Georgia tree farm, shot to fame as the keyboardist for such legendary bands as the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones.
More than 70 local schoolchildren spent the day gardening with Smith and were treated to an outdoor piano concert by Leavell, as well as a reading of his award-winning children’s book The Tree Farmer, in which a grandfather teaches his grandson how to responsibly care for the land.
“We’re delighted to welcome Chuck Leavell to the Garden Home Retreat,” said Smith. “He is a kindred spirit and exemplifies all the values we put into the Retreat: he’s at the forefront of conservation and responsible stewardship. We both work to bring care and respect for the land to future generations.”
“There’s no better way for children to learn about the earth than to be outside, working with it,” said Leavell. “We hopefully gave them a sense of what they can personally do to make it a better place.”
Stihl, a sponsor of Smith’s endeavors and the official handheld outdoor power equipment for both his television shows, has worked with Leavell on conservation issues for more than 10 years and was instrumental in bringing the two men together.
“Allen and Chuck both believe strongly in educating children on how to care for the earth responsibly,” said Ken Waldron, national marketing manager of Stihl Inc. “Stihl has a proud history of working with groups like the National FFA, the American Tree Farm System, the Tree Research and Endowment Fund and others to educate and promote socially responsible environmental stewardship and we are pleased to continue that work with these two gentlemen.”
Smith is the author of the best-selling Garden Home book series and is considered one of the foremost gardening experts in the country. In addition to his own nationally syndicated series, P. Allen Smith Gardens, he also hosts P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home on PBS and is a frequent guest on the TODAY Show and the Weather Channel.
Leavell is a renowned tree farmer and conservationist who has authored three books: Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest, Between Rock and a Home Place, and the award-winning children’s book The Tree Farmer. He first achieved fame as the keyboardist for such legendary music groups as the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers. He currently serves on the board of the American Forest Foundation, the National Arbor Day Foundation, and the Georgia Conservancy and many other conservation organizations have recognized him for his work.
