Culbin Forest FC History 1921 - 1951
This forest history courtesy of Moray and Aberdeenshire Forest District, is obviously a photocopied version of the original which may have been sent to the National Archives some years ago. The history begins with comments from a number of senior Forestry Commission personnel who at one time or another were involved with the initial purchase and early work plans of the forest. The dramatic history of the locality describing sand advancing slowly and at times quickly over whelming farms and prime grain growing land rendering the landscape into a sea of shifting unstoppable windblown dunes appears to have caught the imagination of the Forestry Commission personnel as much as it had the local historians.
The first comments are from the then Forestry Commission Chairman, Lord Robinson (formerly R L Robinson – Technical Commissioner) with some documents and details on the acquisition of the land in 1921. This is followed by comments mainly on species choice from Director Scotland, Henry C Beresford Peirse. Thereafter the text describing the land history, acquisitions, areas planted, fire protection, silviculture, road construction and in some detail the process of thatching has been compiled by the District Officer, Mr J A M Kennedy who was in this post from 1947. No doubt he had access to many records and reports going back to the early days. It is interesting to note that it is the senior staff who describe in most detail the early stabilisation process using marram grass. The final page lists all the senior and forester staff responsible for Culbin Forest from its earliest days until the production of the report in 1951.
The District Officers are listed as follows: 1921-1922 I Clark; 1924 -1925 J W Mackay; 1926-1927 J K Leven; 1932-1934 R Cowell-Smith; 1934-1939 A Warren; 1939-1947 I J Stewart; 1947 to date J A M Kennedy.
The foresters have longer tours of duty and are as follows: 1922-1934 F M Mitchell; 1934-1938 W Mackay; 1938-1947 R W Campbell; 1947- to date W G Milne.
The war time role of Culbin when it was requisitioned for use by the navy and army for live ammunition practice is described. It would be interesting to hear of any accounts from this time.
Please see PDF for the full FC history document.
Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports