Since joining the Allman Brothers Band, Chuck Leavell has had quite a ride on the road as a touring musician. But at home, he enjoys a quiet life in Twiggs County.
Chuck Leavell, a Birmingham-born musician, is best known for his role as the keyboardist in The Rolling Stones. What you may not know is that Leavell is also an environmentalist and host of America’s Forests on PBS—a documentary-style program about America’s most beautiful forests and how we can protect them.
Alabama-born music icon turned environmentalist
Born in Birmingham, Chuck Leavell has had a colorful career as a keyboardist for Dr. John, The Allman Brothers Band and eventually The Rolling Stones beginning in 1985. The Alabama Music Hall of Fame member and Birmingham Area Music Award winner has also worked with artists such as:
George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Blues Traveler
John Mayer
Miranda Lambert
Chuck Leavell hosts America’s Forests on PBS
In addition to his music career, Leavell is a tree farmer with a 2,500-acre tree farm and preserve in Macon, Georgia. As supporters of sustainable forestry and conservation, Chuck and his wife Rose Lane have two Georgia Tree Farmers of the Year awards under their belt.
As host of America’s Forests, Leavell focuses on forests across the country and highlights how sustainability creates a better world and community. From the Northwoods of Wisconsin to the Arkansas Delta, America’s Forests demonstrates the importance of keeping our forests beautiful and clean.
Watch the first episode of America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell on PBS.
America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell is giving away free tickets to be
in the audience for a live private musical performance as part of our
next episode in Maine. We’re offering two pairs of tickets to a unique
show featuring alt-rockers The Mallett Brothers Band and Chuck playing
raucous tunes from the album “The Falling of the Pine: Songs from the
Maine Woods.”
When: Monday, August 7, 6-8 pm
Where: Orono, Maine (winners will be provided location)
Click here to enter by July 30, 2023 to win!
America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell Series Captures Innovation and Creativity in Forest Management
There has never been a better time to inform, inspire, and involve people on the most important and entertaining topics about America’s forests. Our forests have great challenges — catastrophic wildfires, severe drought, devastating insect infestations, climatic changes, user conflicts, environmental impacts, and more. Many of us don’t understand how these events affect the quality of all our lives, from outdoor recreation to wood products, our water supply, and air quality.
What Happens in the Forest is Everyone’s Business
“America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell” is a documentary series that examines our Nation’s forest issues. Presented in a story format, episodes communicate the many innovations and opportunities our forests provide. Each episode is part of a planned 13-part series to be aired on PBS stations nationwide. Episodes focus on different regions and advocate for sustainable management of our forests. Funding for episodes is provided in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service. The series shows that proper forest management leads to healthy forests and thriving communities.
As host, Chuck Leavell brings warmth, passion, and a wealth of talent. A highly acclaimed musician who has been touring and recording as the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones for almost 40 years, his accomplishments as a forest landowner and conservationist are just as remarkable. Chuck and his wife Rose Lane have turned her family woodlands in Georgia into an award-winning tree farm. Teamed up with executive producers Bruce Ward, founder and president of Choose Outdoors, and Kate Raisz, an award-winning filmmaker, this gifted crew is bringing to life their vision and amplifying the messages in each story about the forest’s strong connection to both our personal and economic health and well-being. “Chuck Leavell is a legend in both the music world and wildland conservation,” said Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, Randy Moore. “As an honorary forest ranger, Chuck has shared the Forest Service mission through his unique stories. America’s forests are national treasures and his series is highlighting the importance of our Nation’s forests.”
Collaboration for a Future of Healthy Forests
Forests to Faucets: From the forests high above to home faucets in Denver, Colorado, this episode is a notable example of the connection between trees and our daily life and health. Impacts from the devastating Hayman Fire and the subsequent flooding and drinking water sediment problem were testament to the need for actively managing public and private forests, which is key to fire prevention. The Forests Need Fire, and We Need the Forest: Emerging from tragedies like the Paradise Fire, the California episode shows that by taking different approaches to forest management practices, such as prescribed burns and fuel breaks, we can ensure the forests are not just sustainable but perpetual.
Win-win: “America’s Forests” showcases pioneering developments in forests products. These include the first U.S. cross-laminated timber (CLT) plant in Oregon and the Forest Service’s innovative Forest Products Lab in Wisconsin. These stories show how forest products make our forests and communities
healthy and sustainable.
Double feature showing at Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Denver, CO (Sept. 27, 2021) – On Thursday, Oct. 21, forestry partners, advocates and guests are invited to attend a special evening celebrating the importance of our public lands and recognizing the significance of individuals and organizations in their stewardship. The event will screen two short feature films and episodes that highlight accomplishments in their conservation and care, including Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man and America’s Forests with Chuck Leave celebrates the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
The Oct. 21 event will take place from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Following the screenings, a fireside chat will be held to discuss “What’s Happening on Colorado’s Forests”, moderated by Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and featuring Bud Wudtke, Executive Director Intermountain Forest Association, Jacqueline Buchanan Deputy Regional Forester Region 2 US Forest Service, and Greg Nelson, Mayor of Ouray, Colorado. The event is free and open to the public, with registration required at chooseoutdoorsscreening.eventbrite.com. The event also will be offered virtually.
Chuck Leavell may be best known as the keyboardist and musical director for The Rolling Stones, but he is also an educated and enthusiastic forestry advocate, conservationist and tree farmer. The first film of the evening, Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man, shows how he divides his talents between music, forests and family.
Leavell also is host of the made for TV series, America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell. He serves as the on-camera guide, traveling across the country to interview people who are passionate about the gifts we receive from our forests as part of the national TV series, The second showing is an episode from the series that shines a light on the 50-year tradition in which the USDA Forest Service provides a tree for the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building during the holidays. The 2020 tree was provided by the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) on the Western Slope of Colorado. Leavell follows the journey – from selection and cutting to ornament making and community celebrations – as the Tree makes its way from Colorado to Washington, D.C. Leavell also learns about the multiple uses of this winter wonderland by sharing adventures and hearing from staff from the USDA Forest Service.
“The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a mechanism for the nation to come together during this magical time of year and to celebrate one of our most treasured resources”, said Leavell. “Whether for building or for recreation, our forests are good for the economy and for the spirit.”
The series is produced by Choose Outdoors and 42 Degrees North Media and the special episode is made possible with generous support from the USDA Forest Service, STIHL Inc. and Red Wing Shoes. The episode first premiered on Rocky Mountain PBS and rmpbs.org and the special screening event held with generous support from Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
About the Series
America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell captures the breadth of our nation’s woodlands – both public and private. It features stories that demonstrate how important forest habitats are to the well-being and economic health of communities across the country and presents individuals who embody this passion for the woods, from architects to artists, from climbers to carpenters. Episodes featuring Oregon, Colorado, South Carolina, California and Wisconsin are available on PBS stations nationwide and online at
www.americasforestswithchuckleavell.com.
About Chuck Leavell
Chuck Leavell is one of a kind. His musical career includes work with The Rolling Stones, but also with Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers Band, John Mayer and a host of others. AND he is acclaimed as a conservationist, environmentalist, author and tree farmer. After studying forestry by correspondence and doing much of his homework while riding a tour bus with the Fabulous Thunderbirds in the mid ‘80s, Chuck and wife Rose Lane Leavell turned her family’s plantation near Macon, GA, into what has become a textbook and award-winning tree farm. He is also the co-founder of The Mother Nature Network www.mnn.com, the world’s leading environmental website.
About the USDA Forest Service
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land; provides assistance to state and private landowners; and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. For more information, see www.fs.fed.us.
About Choose Outdoors
Choose Outdoors works to increase all American’s enjoyment, appreciation and support for outdoor recreation activities that connect them to our public lands. These connections will ensure that our public lands will always be there for future generations to cherish. For more information, visit chooseoutdoors.org.
Bennet Hears From Local Leaders About Forest Restoration Projects Near Durango That Would Benefit From His Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act
Bennet is Pushing For Robust Forest Restoration and Wildfire Resilience Investments in the Build Back Better Budget
Durango –– Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources Subcommittee, met with local leaders and discussed current forestry projects near Durango that would benefit from his Outdoor Restoration Partnerships Act, a $60 billion investment in forest restoration, wildfire prevention, and watershed protection. Bennet is calling for the proposal to be included in the Build Back Better budget.
Bennet visited the Lion’s Den Overlook with leaders from Durango, La Plata County, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Colorado State Forest Service, the Durango Fire Protection District, Mountain Studies Institute, Four Rivers Resilient Forest Collaborative, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Timber Age Systems, and the Southwest Conservation Corps.
“Forests and watersheds are essential infrastructure that sustains our economy and way of life in Colorado, but for too long, Congress has failed to meaningfully invest in them,” said Bennet. “The Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act would make a historic investment to improve forest health, restore watersheds, expand access to the outdoors, and provide millions of jobs across the Mountain West. This legislation enjoys broad support from leaders in Durango, La Plata County, and across Colorado, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure it is included in the Build Back Better budget.”
“There is no greater threat to our communities than that of catastrophic wildfire. We here in La Plata County have a very engaged public working across many boundaries including land ownership, governments and otherwise. We know how to get work done in the WUI and have been proving that for a long time. However, we cannot do it alone which is why Senator Michael Bennet’s addition of wildfire funding to the budget bill is so crucial. Bringing our forests back to health is as an important goal as investing in our highways, water systems and bridges especially in this era of long-term climate change resulting in a drying west. Now is the time to invest in the things that will create healthier landscapes, watersheds and communities — and invest at a level that will make a difference,” said Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County Commissioner.
“The City of Durango continues to thrive with collaborative efforts that improve the health of our community and forests. Federal funds and partnerships are key to successful efforts now and for generations to come,” said Amy Schwarzbach, City of Durango Natural Resources Manager.
“The Staff at MSI is extremely grateful for Senator Bennet’s continued commitment to the issues of rural southwest Colorado. Overlooking the Animas Valley, he listened to the concerns around wildfire, the need to apply science to support decision making, and expressed support for funding a coordinated approach to management built around the values of the community, identified through collaborative conversations, that will support social, economic, and ecologic resilience,” said Aaron Kimple, Program Director of Forest Health, Mountain Studies Institute.
In March 2021, President Joe Biden included a commitment to invest in restoration and resilience consistent with Bennet’s Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act in his American Jobs Plan.
As Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Bennet’s decade of work on forestry and conservation is informed by Coloradans’ experiences and ideas.
In the 2014 Farm Bill, Bennet led the development of the conservation and forestry title, which expanded Good Neighbor Authority nationwide, following a successful pilot program in Colorado, and expedited treatment of forests affected by insects or disease. Bennet also helped write the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which has funded multiple projects in Colorado, including in the Upper Colorado Headwaters and in the Lower Gunnison.
For years, Bennet introduced the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFA), which provided the framework for the fire funding fix that Bennet secured in the 2018 Omnibus. In the 2018 Farm Bill, Bennet led the effort to maintain full conservation funding, place a greater emphasis on climate and drought, and secure new resources for our national forests. Bennet also helped expand funding for voluntary water conservation efforts through USDA conservation programs.
After Colorado suffered the three largest wildfires in state history last year, Bennet convened the Western Climate Resilience Roundtable to develop a collaborative, consensus-driven set of priorities for western climate resilience. One of the group’s top priorities was “Supporting healthy soils, forests, rangeland, rivers, and watersheds will make our communities more resilient and help maximize the climate mitigation potential of western landscapes.”
The Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act is supported by the National Wildlife Federation, National Association of State Foresters, The Nature Conservancy, National Wild Turkey Federation, American Forests, National Audubon Society, Family Farm Alliance, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Western Landowners Alliance, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, Conservation Legacy, Mule Deer Foundation, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, American Fly Fishing Trade Association.
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Anyone who lives in the Natural State knows that Arkansas is one of the nation’s greatest forest regions, and one of the country’s leading producers of timber, harvesting more than 24 million tons per year, worth an estimated $445 million to landowners.
What the U.S. doesn’t fully know yet, however, is how Arkansas’ forests, timber and wood products are changing the discussion surrounding the environment forever.
A healthy environment and a strong economy are not mutually exclusive. Empowering our economy to create a thriving market for timber and wood products, based upon wise stewardship of our forests, will enable a new avenue to promote a clean environment, one that has not yet been utilized.
Trees are a sustainable, abundant resource naturally comprised of about 50 percent carbon by dry weight, and one which can significantly offset man-made carbon emissions. Once carbon is stored in a tree, even if that tree is cut down and used in timber products, it will continue storing that carbon indefinitely. From your kitchen table to the beams of your house, wood is storing carbon all around us, day in and day out.
Arkansas’ forests are demonstrably healthy and in fact, in a remarkable surplus growth status: We have the opportunity to expand the use of wood as a renewable resource. Indeed, Arkansas is leading the charge to enable this growing market.
One relatively new form of lumber usage is what’s known as “cross-laminated timber,” or CLT. The innovative product is made by gluing sawn pieces of lumber together into massive wood panels that can be cut into any size and shape, and used as structure and enclosure in a building—think of it as “super-plywood.” By researching the benefits of CLT, the University of Arkansas paved the way for it to become a mainstream, code-certified building material. In Bentonville, Walmart is employing CLT for its brand-new headquarters campus, which will span 350 acres and store millions of pounds of carbon once completed. It’s also sourcing the timber from right here in Arkansas, through a new manufacturing facility in Conway.
This week, the bipartisan Trillion Trees Act of 2021 was reintroduced to the 117th Congress to make the United States a global leader of the One Trillion Trees Initiative. In a nutshell, this bill aims to grow more trees, use more wood, and store more carbon, all with an emphasis on sustainable management and wise stewardship of the forests. Studies show that planting 1 trillion new trees globally would sequester 205 gigatons of carbon, an amount equivalent to two-thirds of all man-made emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
The timber grown in this initiative has untold potential to benefit both the economy and the climate. The Trillion Trees Act will motivate people to use wood as a renewable resource through sustainable building tax credits, incentivize the growth of more trees on the land currently utilized, and create new markets for timber. The healthier we can make our timber markets, the healthier our forests will be, and the healthier we can make our overall quality of life.
A clean environment and a healthy economy go hand in hand. The American marketplace, at its best, has long been the driving force for sustainable solutions, and solving environmental issues will be no different. Amid the many important challenges we face as a nation, it is bipartisan solutions such as the Trillion Trees Act, and the support for CLT and other wood products by the combined efforts of the business, university and forestry sectors, that will yield the results necessary to ensure a clean environment without compromising the economy.
As legendary Arkansas state forester Joe Fox says, “Trees are the answer. What’s your question?”
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U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, who represents Arkansas’ 4th District, is the ranking member on the House Natural Resources Committee. Peter MacKeith is dean of the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design.