Profile Type: Equestrian

The Walthour-Moss Foundation – Imagine a woodland where time has stood still and where nature is protected and will never fall victim to bulldozers and concrete. Imagine a place where the environment is preserved and exists as a sanctuary for wildlife and enjoyment for mankind. Such a paradise exists today.

The Walthour-Moss Foundation was established upon the death of William O. “Pappy” Moss to ensure the preservation of the open land that he and Virginia Walthour Moss so treasured. The Foundation is located in the Sandhills of North Carolina, one mile from the town of Southern Pines. It occupies over 4000 acres, virtually unspoiled by progress and development.

The Foundation was originally known for its equestrian use, which continues to attract world-class riders and drivers to its sandy lanes and trails. However, the implementation of proper silva culture and ecological practices have made the Walthour-Moss Foundation a true environmental preserve. The almost extinct red-cockaded woodpecker is making a strong comeback on these protected lands. Their habitats are tagged for study and monitoring by naturalists. The land is also home to many other varieties of birds, deer, raccoons, opossums, red and grey foxes, and rare fox squirrels.

The importance of The Walthour-Moss Foundation cannot be overstated and every year its existence becomes more critical. As acre after acre of unspoiled land becomes covered with homes, shopping centers, factories, and roads, there is less and less land which is so desperately needed for natural purposes. As an example, in the spring of 2005, the North Carolina Department of Transportation transferred 180 acres of environmentally-sensitive land north of Aiken Road to the care of The Walthour-Moss Foundation. In transferring this land to the Foundation’s care, the NC DOT found the Foundation to be “good stewards of the environment and the appropriate entity to care for this special piece of property.”