Slattadale Forest Plan of Operations 1960-64
The document is courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye Forest District was initially written up by District Officer II David Paterson and approved by Robert Innes, Assistant Conservator, North Scotland Conservancy.
The plan described the features of the forest as well as set up a programme of work for the years 1960 – 1964. The second paragraph in chapter 1 informs us ‘Slattadale Forest lies in Wester Ross and has a total area of 2106 acres, grouped around the three separate centres of Kinlochewe, Slattadale (on south shore of Loch Maree) and Altbae. The potential forest area is 1600 acres, of which 939 were stocked at 1 10 59, 71 acres of this being natural Scots pine on Eilean Ruairidh Mor (Island on Loch Maree)’
The Forest History recorded elsewhere describes the very difficult conditions for new planting which began in 1922 and the many areas which had to be redone several times until a successful forest was established.
Apart from the programmes on new planting, thinning and re-manuring there is specific mention of the aim to continue to collect cones from the natural Scots pine stands on the Islands Garbh Eilean (Gairloch Esatate) and Eilean Ruairaidh Mor (FC) which as classed as ‘Almost Plus’ seed stands which forms a major source of the West Coast natural forest Scots pine for the Conservancy.
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