Reelig Forest new planting map
Photograph is courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye Forest District and staff at their Fort Augustus office.
This looks like a forester’s field working map with rough sketches of tree species boundaries. The compartments are numbered from the bottom right and Compartment 1 (C1) can just be made out in its circle.
This map (see large image) is called Reelig and it may well have been the first planting but it seems the whole forest was officially called Craig Phadrig of which Reelig was a section. The R1 planting record shows the first planting in 1951 with 110 acres planted in Compartments 1- 6.
Note the details in the R1 (attached as PDF) which show the seed identity number (its origin), the age of the young trees, advice note number, the supplying nursery and the number supplied. As can be seen from the names many forests had their own small nurseries at this time but with improved transport and mechanisation in the larger nurseries the small ones were quickly closed in the late 50s and early 60s.
Note also the amenity tree species used , Red oak, Gean, Bird cherry, oak, beech, lime and Laburnum.
The names of any foresters and forest workers who worked in the forest would be very welcome.
Download Large Version (2.8MB)
Groups: Maps of Forest and Woodland Areas