Forestry Memories

Landscape discussion in New Abbey area

Landscape discussion in New Abbey area

Date Added: 27 May 2016 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1984 Picture No: 3347

Photograph courtesy of David Foot, Surrey.

A group of people looking at and discussing a landscape point possibly in the Dumfries-New Abbey area going by name on small road sign. Can anyone identify the forest?

Facing the group is Simon Bell, Landscape Architect based in Sylvan House, Edinburgh and Miles Wenner in kilt.

Can anyone name the other people and those in the attached PDF one of which may be Gordon Patterson?

These were the relatively early days of Forest Landscape being formalised as part of the agenda of every forest’s planning regime. Initially often focussed on external boundaries on the upper, side and lower forest area margins and how they related to the external landscapes, following the increase in the clearfelling programmes, this emphasis quickly changed to the whole forest including the internal felling boundaries.

By the early 1990s the concept of whole forest area design plans with time ordered and individually landscaped felling units called felling coupes was being developed and practiced. Developed along with this concept the role of each forest area was prioritised into its strengths and opportunities for recreation, conservation and timber production. This resulted in one of the most far reaching and influential management tools ever produced for a forest – the then named Forest Design Plan. These were further developed and now in 2016 currently called Land Management Plans.

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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people

3 Comments

Possibly the front face (i.e. Dumfries side) of Mabie forest. Comment left on 22 September 2016 at 21:49 by James Robins
May I suggest Miles Wenner, who was FDM at Ae for some time as well as Borders Forest when the District Office was in Hawick, wearing the kilt? And the tall bearded man on the right of the image being Andy Hall, who was a Forester at Ae, Lake Vyrnwy, Rugely FC Training Branch, FC Renewable energy guru and I think then left the FC for pastures new? Good health to them both and my apologies to whom it may concern, if I am incorrect. Comment left on 23 September 2016 at 22:54 by Bill Rayner
Definitely looking into Mabie from the Dumfries to Dalbeattie road, about a mile from the Dupont factory. The Douglas Fir to the left of the steep field was felled about 1998 by James Jones contractor J &F Cook. All the Larch to the extreme left was felled 2018 (and ongoing) due to Phytophora .
The PDF photo is taken about 2 miles from Beeswing on the road to New Abbey, looking onto Kinharve forest. Comment left on 14 April 2019 at 13:49 by Iain gale
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