Tour of Ardgartan Forest
The document is courtesy of Glenbranter Forest office staff with particular thanks to Ian Adams who has stored these old files for many years.
The tour notes are headed with three names: Dr Tivy, Mr Moisley and Prof Linton and the pencil note indicates that it was led by District Officer for North Cowal John F McGarva. The subject matter of the notes leads one to believe that the visitors were not British forestry people and may even had been from abroad.
There is a very brief mention of the state of the timber supply after WWI, the formation of the Forestry Commission and then a statement of the current objectives as at 1958. Paraphrased below:
1. Extend the area of forestry as rapidly as possible
2. Give attention to the aesthetic and protective as well as productive roles of the forest
3. Build a large thriving workforce
4. Foster sociological and industrial developments
5. Pay due regard to recreation, sporting, flora and fauna opportunities in the forest.
A series of statistics on areas of GB under forestry at this time the proportion managed by the FC and the numbers of employees.
A brief over view of Ardgartan Forest focuses on its origin, the totals planted and in hand for planting, the total of 47 FC houses, the fall in sheep stock from original figures when farms were purchased and the increasing value of the timber growing crop growing at £100 thousand per year. The final point is a view within Glen Croe where the forest was planted on the lower slopes, the sheep still graze on the high tops, on the slopes and some low ground sheltered in part by the blocks of forest.
Please see the attached PDF for all the details.
Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports