Slattadale Forest Planting R1s 1963-72
The documents are courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye Forest District.
This small collection of planting records (universally known within the FC as R1s) and accompanying hand drawn maps covers a short period of later planting in Slattadale Forest on additional areas at Beinn Eighe, Laide, Inverewe, Aultroy and Aundrary.
The R1 gives the information on the planting stock used its origin and how many were used in each compartment. Interestingly the period covers the change in the Forestry Commission’s annual reporting year from that ending in 30th Sept to that ending in 31st Mar. The 49th annual report covered the 18 months to March 31st 1969 and caused quite a bit of confusion in nominating a planting year to the newly planted trees.
The solution was to call the PY (Planting Year) after the first growing season following the planting operation. Hence trees planted in April – May 1971 were deemed to be PY71 whereas those planted in the same financial year but from Oct 1971 to March 1972 were deemed to be PY72 as of course were those planted in April to May 1972. In practice two R1 planting records were made up each planting season, one for Oct – Mar period and then a second one 1st April to May or whenever the planting season finished. It was then a matter of combining the two appropriate ones for the financial year and the two in the one season for the Planting Year total. I am sure that can be explained more lucidly but brain anything but lucid right now!
Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports