Deer, doves, quail and wild turkeys roam Fred Rose’s land near Eagle Springs. Nearby he runs and trains field trial dogs.

On Oldham Road, near the Eastwood community, Robert and Ruth Stolting maintain beehives and keep watch over three bluebird houses, one of which is occupied by a grateful family. In the future, the Stoltings plan a field of daylilies and a grape arbor.

Their environmental programs are quite different in nature, but Rose and the Stoltings share an interest in forest stewardship.

They are among nine recipients this year of the Forest Stewardship Award, given through a cooperative effort of the N.C. Division of Forest Resources, Wildlife Resources Commission, Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Services Agency, and Soil and Water Conservation District.

This is the ninth year of the collaborative program and the third year Moore County has led the state in the number of forest stewardship participants.

“We fell in love with this piece of property,” Ruth Stolting said, explaining why she and her husband entered the program. “Originally it was a gentleman’s farm. We knew we had wetlands and a beautiful creek, and we wanted to take care of it.”

The Stoltings were inspired by the example of friends and neighbors Leonard and Joyce Tufts, who are charter members of the stewardship program. With the Tufts’ encouragement, the couple attended a field day last year and became sold on the concept.

Hardwood understory has been removed from 16 acres of the Stoltings’ tract of more than 46 acres. On eight of those acres, they will plant longleaf pines. The loblolly stand has been thinned, through a controlled burn on 24 acres.

The idea here is to maintain habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, which likes to make its home in the upper reaches of old-stand longleaf pines.

The Stoltings already have two active beehives and are working on a third. They also keep an eye out to attract new bluebird families to the two unoccupied houses.

They have spotted both mallards and wood ducks and are planning wood duck housing to attract even more.

“We’re really pleased with what we’ve done so far,” Ruth Stolting said of their property off Murdocksville Road.

Fred Rose has an entirely different operation, some 700 acres in Bensalem Township, almost within the shadow of the Eagle Springs fire tower. He’s been working on the property three to four years.

“There’s no way you could pay for this talent. They bend over backwards to help you,” said Rose.

He was talking about the advice and services of personnel from the several agencies that collaborate for the stewardship program.

Both he and the Stoltings contracted the services of Charlie Webb to study their property and write up stewardship plans designed to meet the owners’ specific needs and to conform to the size and location of the land.

“If you follow their advice, you increase the value of your property. Here they just hand it to you,” Rose said.

He doesn’t understand why even more people don’t take advantage of this opportunity.

Forest Stewardship Awards were presented to Rose and the Stoltings at an informal luncheon program Friday at the Moore County Agriculture Center in Carthage. Charles Hammond, director of the Moore County Center of the Cooperative Extension Program, opened the meeting, and Deputy County Manager Mike Griffin extended the welcome.

Richard Frye, county forest ranger, joined Hammond in presenting the certificates.

Other recipients include Dr. and Mrs. Mark Brenner, Dr. Eric Larsen, Tim Ives, J.J. Barnes, Edward J. Hedrick Jr., Levi Cranford Hussey and Occoneechee Scout Reservation.

During the program, Rose voiced his concern that funding for the Forest Stewardship Program may be in danger,

“You’ve got something here that’s worth keeping. We need the whole loaf,” Rose said.

Hammond said interested landowners should notify their congressmen about interest in maintaining the program.

He said the funding problem lies with the federal government, not with the state.

“Make sure Congress understands. The state is pretty good about funding this program,” Hammond said.

Jacob Crandall, a former Moore County district conservationist, was a guest at the program and gave the invocation. Crandall is now in the state office in Raleigh.

After the meeting, Bill Edwards, the Central Region Forest Stewardship biologist for the Wildlife Resources Commission, confirmed that Moore County produces more stewardship plans than any other county in North Carolina.

“Moore County consistently turns out a high number of plans,” he said.

Also on the program agenda Friday were Wanda Blake of the Division of Forest Resources, Matt Vincett, Angela Hill, Linda Gore and Tammy Thomas.

The Forest Stewardship Program addresses such fields as forest management, wildlife management, soil and water protection, aesthetic and recreational values.