Black Isle District Annual report 1955
The document is courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye Forest District and is the PDF. See button on bottom right of image.
The annual report for year ending September 1955 most likely written by District Officer Mike Long appears to now cover the individual forests areas located on the Black Isle peninsular only including Millbuie, Kilcoy Findon and Kessock. Perhaps with growing workloads here particularly in the larger nurseries new district boundaries had been assigned?
The report is set out in headings and under:
The year’s Work – comments on the year’s weather include a summary of annual rainfall at 21.7 inches against 23 inches the previous year, a very dry spell of weather from mid May until early September when most water springs dried up all preceded by a winter where temperatures reached zero Fahrenheit on several occasions. Author remembers the dry spell causing real hardships in some areas as water supplies for stock dried up and supplies had to be carted in.
Operations seem to have gone smoothly and no significant variations or failures noted. Even the fires were moderate and caused only minor damage. Comments were expressed on the different fire pump types in use Allman, Scammell, Wayjax and Hathaway.
It is noted that Myxomatosis in rabbits started in the area in July – Aug 1954 and killed nearly all the rabbits. Capercaillie still seem to be numerous and causing problems in the nurseries and when one was killed and its crop examined 670 seedling tops and 340 seedlings were counted!
Also noted was the progress in resurveying of Millbuie Forest.
This is the first annual report which included a quantities sheet showing the areas of planting, volumes and areas of thinning and the same for clearfell for each of the four forests.
Groups: Forest Nurseries, Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports