2018 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year

The North Carolina Tree Farm Program named Charles and Martha Oldham North Carolina’s 2018 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year at its annual meeting on October 27 in Semora. The award recognizes the Oldhams’ leadership in the conservation community and their long-term commitment to practicing and promoting sustainable forest management on their woodlands in Lee and Chatham counties. The Oldhams live in Sanford.

Charles and Martha Oldham are founding members of the Lee County Forestry Association and have been active officers and members for more than 25 years. They have hosted local landowner tours, have written countless newspaper articles promoting forest management and are leaders in educating their local community about forestry. Their forest land was first enrolled in the Tree Farm Program in 1961.

“The Oldhams are model forest stewards who encourage other landowners to adopt sustainable forestry practices,” said Leslie McCormick, executive director of the N.C. Tree Farm Program. “With their long history of excellent forest management, they have made a life of promoting and practicing forest stewardship.”