Pike County landowners Gene and Jana Renfroe recently received the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association’s (ATFA) highest honor, the Bill Moody Award, for their commitment to the organization’s founding principles.

They were recognized at ATFA’s annual meeting in Atmore Oct. 14, where retired Pike County conservationist Randy Hale also received the Gary Fortenberry Partnership Award for the Southeast Region.

The Renfroes said they were honored to accept the Bill Moody Award and strive to educate others about TREASURE Forest. “We just hope that through the sharing we’ve done with our property, others can learn and better their properties as well,” Gene said.

The Bill Moody Award is named after retired State Forester William C. Moody, who founded the TREASURE Forest Certification on the principles of stewardship, sustainability, education and partnership. “Gene and Jana embody Bill Moody’s vision of what it means to be a steward of the land,” said ATFA Director Rick Oates.

“Our award winners are dedicated TREASURE Forest members working to improve our organization and educate schoolchildren and the public about sustainable forest ownership.” In addition to landowner tours, the Renfroes annually host around 200 students for Pike County Classroom in the Forest, an educational program for fifth-graders.

They primarily manage their acreage for timber production, and wildlife habitats are cultivated through planting tree species once common to the property. At the annual meeting, the Renfroes received artwork depicting an ideal TREASURE Forest, which was created by Montgomery artist Joel Kelly and sponsored by the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation.

The Renfroes, who reside in Birmingham, serve on ATFA’s board of directors, and Gene is a member of the TREASURE Forest Certification Committee. The Gary Fortenberry Award recognizes individuals or organizations that help ATFA implement the multiple-use forest philosophy through educational and outreach programs.

Hale, who spent 30-plus years as a Natural Resources Conservation Service conservationist, was a charter member of the Pike County TREASURE Forest chapter and continually recruits members and landowners. “I was very surprised and honored to receive the award,” said Hale, who is president of the Pike County TREASURE Forest chapter. “Before I retired, my office tried to make available funding for forestry uses. Each sustainable land use deserves incentives.” Hale lives in Troy with his wife of 44 years, Gail. They have one son, Matthew.

ATFA was established in 1974 to promote the multiple-use philosophy of land management to support timber, recreation, the environment, aesthetics and sustainable, usable resources. Since 2013, the ATFA has partnered with the Alabama Farmers Federation to reach more people with TREASURE Forest philosophies and programs. Forestry and its related industries bring $21.4 billion annually into Alabama, and timber is a recognized commodity in every county in the state.