Monroe Chester Sportsmen’s Club certified as ‘Family Forest'

CHESTER — After a rigorous inspection of its 144 acres in the Town of Chester property earlier this year, Monroe Chester Sportsmen’s Club has been designated as a certified Family Forest in the American Tree Farm System.
This is part of the club’s 20-year effort in time, money and resources to create a comprehensive three-step approach toward the stewardship of its land.

According to information provided in a press release, the Monroe Chester Sportsmen’s Club implemented its land stewardship program by enrolling in the New York State Forest Management Program. The program entails a yearly property inspection by a registered state forester, who surveys the land and files a report to the state as to health of the trees and land and updates and prepares a five-year management plan for the property to which the club must adhere to remain in the program.

At present the club’s property has forest management plans extending out to year 2024.

Club members also wanted to improve the habitat of their property for both game animals and other species residing on their land. This led to the implementation of a Quality Deer Management Program. With club members working with the Forestry Management Program, this effort should yield tangible results over the next 5 to 10 years and beyond, club officials said in their press release.
With the forestry program in place for a number of years, combined with the QDMP, the next step was to apply for membership in the American Tree Farm System, which would qualify the club’s land for a Certified Tree Farm status. That approval came in July.

“This has taken many years of hard work by a number of club members and now we can proudly see the results of all of that hard work and effort,” club president Roy Zucca said in the press release. “It is a real tribute to the men and women of the club who are committed to the stewardship of our property.”