Scots pine in Rannoch Forest
The notes are courtesy of Duncan Menzies, Banchory, who was stationed at Rannoch at the time.
This document consists of three pages which are undated and unsigned but appear to refer to a period during a series of visits to Rannoch Forest in the early 1960s. The document also states that “Prof Stevens of Aberdeen who studied and wrote on the Native Pine Woods, advocated that the major remnants, of which Rannoch is one, should be preserved and perpetuated for scientific and historical reasons.”
The policy of planting only Scots pine of Rannoch origin in Rannoch Forest is noted even in localities well out with the native Scots pine area. Other conifer species were used of course. Also at Rannoch it states the policy is to maintain and perpetuate the most distinctive parts of the Natural Pine Forest. There is also mention of prescriptions for various zones in and around the Blackwood but no map to delineate them. However in the Black Wood there is the aim to manage the 200 acre western zone where the natural tree stocking is better than elsewhere as a special Forest Research study area with no planting or felling. In the larger 600 acre eastern zone 20 acres will be planted annually with Rannoch Pine the actual areas alternating over five different sections.
It does mention that annually 350 -500 thousand trees grown from seed collected in Rannoch Wood are planted annually in Rannoch Forest and that so far 1.5 – 2.0 million have been planted so far.
The history of the Black Wood is stated, followed by a description of six types or characters of trees found in the Native Pine Forest followed by a list of 8 groups of surviving Native Pine Forests in Scotland each with the names of the individual localities.
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