While most of the farm ground surrounding New Athens consists of staple crops such as corn, there is one place that's being set apart: a tree farm.

Wayne Wildy, 33, a New Athens native, was recognized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with the Illinois Outstanding Tree Farmer award for 2005.

The award recognizes forest land owners who advocate and sustain forest management practices and pass their knowledge on to other owners of forest land.

On a 200-acre family farm just south of New Athens, Wildy has planted - by his own count - more than one million trees. Wildy is not a crop farmer, but makes his living as a forestry contractor.

"It's great to receive an award for good forestry," Wildy said. "It's a lot of hard work."

Wildy won the award based on his promotion of forestry and his hosting of workshops and field days on his land for the public and forestry professionals.

"The purpose of the award is to recognize the state's top tree farmer ... someone who has demonstrated his or her commitment to sustainable forestry management practices," Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold said. "Wayne Wildy's numerous accomplishments in forestry management and his efforts to help other landowners by promoting the cause have earned him this honor."

The award is given each year during Agriculture Day activities at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

A wide variety of trees are planted on Wildy's ground.

"I try to plant what would be native to the area, which means I have a lot of red oaks and white oaks as well as burr oak," Wildy said.

Wildy designed and built a special machine that can plant one tree every four seconds.

"Some days, I can plant up to 7,000 trees."

Statewide natural resource officials have taken note of Wildy's machine and planting process.

"I have never encountered a contractor that routinely installs such high quality reforestation tree plantings," said Illinois Department of Natural Resources Forester Mark Brown.

Wildy, who has served as the southern regional director for the Illinois Walnut Council, also plants pecan and walnut trees to feed the wildlife.

Reforesting is a profession for Wildy, who does most of his planting in the spring, and then does "exotic work managing species in parks" throughout the rest of the year.

"It's fairly difficult work, but I enjoy it," Wildy said.