The Lennox Memorial Forest is a 140 acre demonstration forest across the road from Shankitunk. It was established as instructed by the will of John and Florence Lennox. John Lennox was the camp's first director. The forest is used by several classes here at camp, including Backpacking, Wilderness, Geocaching, and Nature. Feel free to stop and read the information board posted in the pavilion at the beginning of the memorial forest.
The Lennox Memorial Forest has been a great location to host many workshops on forest management, wildlife, and water quality. The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) located in Syracuse, NY also use the forest to conduct forest management research and makes recommendations to our forester on needed silvacultural treatments. Lennox is not only used by adults in the community, but it is also still used by the 4-H Camp Shankitunk for hiking and a camping location during the summer while camp is running. The Lennox Memorial Forest has provided many different opportunities for various groups throughout NY State to learn more about forestry and nature. Now groups will be able to learn more through the set up of the experimental blocks designed within Lennox Model Forest, an 80 acre block within Lennox Memorial Forest, to demonstrate different forest management practices. These blocks are a great way to show and teach people how to keep their forests in good conditions. Just one more way that Lennox Memorial Forest is used to teach.
Did you know that the Lennox Memorial Forest was part of the New York City Watershed Model Forest Program?
Click on the attached pdf file to view the Watershed Forest Management Plan & Map
Key to Management Plan to above pdf:
Shelterwood 1 - 6.2 acres
Shelterwood 2 - 5.6 acres
High Grade - 3.7 acres
Diametral Limit - 3.1 acres
Mixedwood Regeneration Cuts - 9.7 acres
Wildlife 1 - 10.9 acres
Wildlife 2 - 4.7 acres
Hazard Tree Demo - 1.9 acres
Crop Tree - 5.2 acres
Crown Thinning 1 - 4.1 acres
Crown Thinning 2 - 11.6 acres
Group Selection - 2.9 acres
Control 1 - 2.4 acres
Control 2 - 4.3 acres
Thin Harvest - 4.3 acres
Unmanaged - 8.2 acres
High Grade 2 - 13.2 acres
Lookout - 15.5 acres
Quarry - 1.8 acres
Kiosk/Landing - 1.1 acres
Leftover - 3.2 acres
Hemlock/Hardwood - 8.0 acres
4-H Camp & Facilities - 8.1 acres
Unmanaged - 5.1 acres
Grand Total - 144.81 acres
TIME LINE: Learn more Camp Shankitunk History
1922 - John A. Lennox was Hired
1927 - Camp Shankitunk opened. Property owned by John D. Clarke
1952 - Tom Dent bought the property
1969 - Camp purchased from Tom Dent by Delaware County
1987 - John A. Lennox died at 91 years of age and left his estate to 4-H.
A condition of the will said that upon designation of approximately 144 acres of county-owned forest property as the John A. Lennox Memorial Forest, income from the estate would be used to establish and maintain the forest as an education project.
1998 - Lennox Model Forest was established. This designated approximately 80 acres of the Lennox Memorial Forest as a Watershed Model Forest. Currently there are 14 experimental blocks that demonstrate different forest management practices.
2006 - An agreement was reached between the Watershed Agricultural Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County regarding the management of the Lennox Model Forest.
