When Barnett and Edna King stroll along a wooded path in the forest near their home in Crenshaw County, they gaze into a canopy of towering pines that could make you forget that civilization is only a short drive away. This is where they fell in love, and this is where they like to spend time as they grow old together.Their hard work and love of the land hasn’t gone unnoticed. They were named the 2001 National Tree Farmer of the Year–quite an accomplishment when you consider there are 66,000 certified tree farmers in the U.S. Although the presentation was made during a special ceremony in Hershey, Penn., in November, the award was the result of years of labor.”We really do have a true love for the land,” Mr. King said. “This is not just a vocation, it’s our recreation.”The Kings live near Luverne, the county seat of Crenshaw County, and own 440 acres. Of that, about 60 percent is in pine trees, 35 percent is hardwood trees and the remainder is in food plots and roadways. They have been active in the Tree Farm Program since 1982, and portions of their land were designated a Certified Treasure Forest in 1983. The Kings, who are members of the Crenshaw County Farmers Federation, are active in the Tree Farm Program and the Treasure Forest Program because both promote multiple management of timber (recreation, wildlife, and profit) as well as good stewardship of the land, Mr. King said.”This is undoubtedly the highest honor we have ever received,” said Mr. King, who although proud of his land is humbled by the award. “We met the other nominees from around the country and saw what kind of dedicated people they are and the great work they are doing, and we are just honored beyond words.”Michael Older, a forester with the Alabama Forestry Commission in Covington County, nominated the Kings for the Alabama Tree Farmer of the Year in 2000. After winning that, they went on to win the title of Southern Regional Tree Farmer of the year in early 2001. From there, they competed in and won the national competition against other regional finalists from Michigan, Washington and West Virginia.It’s likely the King’s outreach program played a large part in clinching the title for them. They created Fern Valley in 1995 with the hopes of sharing their love of the forest and nature with area school children. The tranquil spot got its name from the four varieties of native ferns found growing abundantly on the property. Although Hurricane Opal delayed the public opening of the 85-acre nature park until the spring of 1996, more than 700 students toured the forest the first year.”We want young people to know and appreciate the beauty of the forest and all the things that live here,” Mr. King said. “There are some students who come here who’ve never been this close to nature. It’s a great feeling to know you’re helping a child see a new world, and hopefully, they leave with a better appreciation for God and our Earth.”Older said it was an honor to nominate the Kings for Tree Farmer of the Year. “The Kings work together and go beyond what’s just required to do a good job,” he said. “The fact that they let their land be used as an educational tool says a lot about how committed they are.”Children are not the only ones who benefit from Fern Valley. Adult groups also are welcome for tours or to conduct meetings at the Kings’ cabin, which is located along the trail between two ponds. An adult tour of the nature trail might include stops on erosion, plant succession, wildlife management and aesthetics.The Kings rely on help from local Earth Team members to help keep Fern Valley in operation. There are marked pathways, a covered bridge, two ponds and several outdoor classrooms where students sit on wooden benches as they learn about the forest. Church groups, Girl Scouts, garden clubs and area teachers also frequent Fern Valley, which includes butterfly and hummingbird gardens.Mr. King retired several years ago as county executive director for the former Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service after 31 years of service. Mrs. King is a retired textile plant supervisor. Both say their retirement is enriched because of the time they spend in the forest.”We are the happiest when we’re together out here,” Mrs. King said as the couple held hands and walked down one of the winding paths in Fern Valley. “It doesn’t matter if we’re doing a controlled burn, planting trees or just having a picnic lunch. This is where we like to be.”But Mr. King admits that while he’s always had an appreciation for the land, he hasn’t always looked at forestry the way he does now.”When I was a young boy growing up, timber land wasn’t worth nothing,” he said. “Trees grew where the soil was too poor or too steep to row crop. Row cropland was the only land that was considered valuable. Then in the 1950’s, people began to view timber differently. It is valuable, but it’s a lot more than that to us. It’s about beauty, wildlife and conservation. It’s about leaving things better than when we found them.”Doug Link of Monroe County serves as chairman of the Alabama Tree Farm Committee. In his letter supporting their nomination for the national award, he said the Kings have purchased poor quality and cut-over forestland, as well as poorly maintained cropland, and worked to put them back into production.”They have taken all the steps necessary to improve the timber component, as well as the recreational, environmental, educational and aesthetic opportunities,” Link said.In addition to attending numerous forestry meetings, workshops and seminars to continue their land management education, the Kings also receive management assistance from industry foresters and currently are in the Georgia Pacific Management Assistance Program (MAP).The Kings perform their own prescribed burning on a three-year rotation system. Permanent fire lanes are established and maintained annually. The burning helps to control hardwood growth in pine stands, improves wildlife habitat and reduces wildfire hazards. Mr. King said he uses some herbicides to control exotic and invasive plants such as privet hedge and kudzu. Food plots are strategically placed throughout the property to provide wildlife forage.But, the Kings say being named National Tree Farmer of the Year isn’t about what they’ve done. Instead, it’s about what anyone can do if they go about it the right way.”What we want to leave on people’s mind is that they can make whatever they have beautiful and better if they’re willing to work at it,” Mr. King said. “We haven’t always had a lot of money, and we did most of the work ourselves–that’s probably why this has been so rewarding. There certainly are bigger operations than we have, we just like to do the best we can with what we have, and we like to share our love of the land with other people.”