Conservation Projects

As outdoorsmen, the Somerset Sportsman's Club strives to be the best stewards of our land as possible. We have an active Conservation and Forestry Managament plan through Mass Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. A few goals of the plan is to create healthy forests which help combat climate change as well as create better habitat for wildlife.

In 2024 we launched our American Chestnut Restoration Project with the help of The Amercian Chestnut Foundation. Our mission is to help restore this keystone species to our property and hopefully inspire other private land owners and sportsman's clubs to do the same. Along with restoring a historically plentiful species of our woodlands that benefitted multiple wildife species such as deer, wild turkey, black bear and squirrels.... restoring these trees to our New England landscape also helps by adding further tree diversity as well as another mast crop / food source for wildife.

In 2024 club members planted 31 hybrid American Chestnut Trees obtained from the American Chestnut Foundation that we started from seed here at our club. We also have over 70 Wild American Chestnut Trees growing on the property from old root systems existing before the blight. We have a goal to assist these trees in reaching maturity by employing various methods and hopefully begin producing nuts again in the future. This will also help keep a wild local genetic strain of the American Chestnut Trees surviving on our property for future study.We plan to continue to plant more trees in conjunction with our forestry plan in the years to come.

in 2025 we have partnered with Bristol Aggricultural High School in Dighton MA. Environmental Conservation Seniors began this project in Nvember of 2024 and we are excited for the students and school to be involved. On May 19, 2025 these Environmental Engineering seniors planted 23 Hybrid American Chestnut trees at the club which they grew from seed, generously provided by the MA/Ri Chapter of the american Chestnut Foundation. These trees were planted in an area that was selectively cut last Fall on our NRCS plan for timber stand improvement. Thinning out a percentage trees in the canopy provides the sunlight to reach the forest floor and encourage early successional growth.Our goal is to to reintroduce American Chestnut trees in these areas to give them the adequate room and sunlight needed to grow quickly and propogate as part of the new successional growth in our forests. We help to coninue with this plan in the years to come.

How can you help?

1. Click Here to Become a Member fo the American Chestnut Foundation

2.. Visit our local MA/RI Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation for information.

3. Vew many education videos on the TACF's Youtube Channel

3 . Contact us by email at somersetsportsmans262@gmail.com with any inquiries regarding this project here the club.