Work Study in Forestry — History
This Forestry Commission paper is courtesy of Dave Stewart whose father George was a forester for many years in the Forestry Commission. The origin of the booklet was an international course on Work Study in Forestry held in Wymondham and Newton Rigg Colleges in 1971 and for which a series of papers were prepared. These papers were compiled into Bulletin 47 in 1973. Some of the individual papers are of a high historical interest and have been copied here this one being the introduction by L C Troup, Chief Work Study Officer for the Forestry Commission.
The paper describes the origins of Work Study in the Forestry Commission in 1956 and its role in the subsequent years up until 1971 through its work in silvicultural operations and the increased mechanisation particularly of tree harvesting work. It describes how in 1966 there were 10 teams some being regional based and others special project based an example being the Roads team which was formed and completed its work in about three years. At time of writing the number of teams being considered appropriate was five or six placed in locations around the country and a proposal was to have teams:
In Northern Scotland focussing on mountain logging (cable cranes), ploughing cultivation and planting:
In the Borders covering non –mountain logging (tractors) and restocking after felling:
In Wales covering deep drainage and mountain logging;
In southern England covering weeding and cleaning as well as lowland logging.
Of interest is a table of increased labour productivity from 1962 at 100 and 1969/70 at 160.1 with details of factors contributing to the rise.
The final chapter there is perhaps a surprising inclusion of environment considerations and multiple land use objectives. No real detail however.