Annual Report Dingwall District (West) 1976-77
The report is courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye forest District and lists the main activities and comments on the work for year April 1976 – March 1977. The document was written up by George Dey (District officer) from individual forest reports submitted from the foresters in charge of Skye, Achnashellach, South Strome and Torrachilty Forests.
The documents begin with a note from Conservancy Office requesting the Annual Report by a certain date. Names listed are some of those in the Conservancy Office (60 Church Street, Inverness) and is written by R B (Eric) Urquhart who may have been assistant to T S B (Tom) Macbeath (Admin and Finance Officer), copied to same and to A F (Alan) Mackay (Assist Conservator Harvesting and Marketing), Arthur Christie (Assist Conservator Forest Management), Alan Flynn (Conservancy Estates Officer), Peter Malcolmson (Conservancy Civil Engineer), Ray Harrison (Conservancy Mechanical Engineer) and Linda Swanson (Head Cartographer in the Drawing Office).
George Dey gives a comprehensive report for his District for 1976-77 and quite a number of staff changes are listed:
Death of Mr J P Verel the District Officer preceding George Dey.
R K (Bob) Murdoch replacing Duncan Grant as Head Forester in charge at Achnashellach
Duncan Grant taking up role as RTO (Regional training Officer?)
John Pargeter replaced D G (Grant) Macintosh at Gleneynort, Skye
C F (Cliff?) Damney and C R Fruen as Head Foresters transferring out of Torrachilty Forest
Head Forests J B Colling and F G O (Frank) Thom transferring in the latter to Lael
Ganger Ian MacLean retiring from Skye Forest.
The following on training Courses:
Willie Grant and Keith Mills Foresters from Achnashellach
Davie Roberson (Chief Forester) and Donnie MacDougall and Hamish Reid from Skye
Alex Forsyth Head Forester in charge from South Strome
J W (Tim) Taylor Chief Forester and Forester W R C (Willie Senior) Beattie from Torrachilty
Industrial workers form Achnashellach and Torrachilty trained on Chain-saw (7) and cable crane (1)
Notes on the years work in New Planting, Harvesting, Protection and in Recreation the first mention of work to establish a new Caravan Site at Balmacara. On topic of visitors to District a mention that John A Dickson (Director General) visited in June 1976 and George D Holmes as Commissioner Harvesting in July of the same year.
In the hand written Annual report by Davie Robertson for Skye he highlights the use of the early design of D60 type forest plough head for double furrow ploughing and the problem that there was no step cutter to allow plants to be planted with roots close to vegetation layer except by cutting out steps by hand and spade. Also mentioned in Fiat 100 ploughing tractor with new type of track plate – almost certainly Jocky Banks driving the Fiat 100 when apical track plates were first fitted. The aerial fertilising was carried out by BEAS. Hand Radios for working on the hills were delivered this year but radio mast was not yet up and working. Mentions of work on Raasay and Lewis and very good chain saw team at Eynort as well as great difficulty in recruiting more workers.
Bob Murdoch’s report for Achnashellach Forest indicates that lightweight versions of Husqvarna and Jonsereds saws were received at the forest and that the Forest Office was presently unfit for its purpose.
Report for Torrachilty Forest by Tim Taylor also highlights the problem with recruiting workers the main problem being lack of suitable housing.
Alex Forsyth’s report from South Strome Forest similarly cites the worker recruitment issue in particular with the ongoing work at Howard Doris oil platform construction yard at Kishorn.
Any comments, corrections to names and more information would be very welcome.
Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports