Regional Advisory Committee Tour of Tentsmuir and Blairadam Forests
The notes are courtesy of Duncan Menzies, Banchory, who was stationed at Tentsmuir at the time.
This is quite a detailed description of the forest, its history, geology, soils and site classification and a note that one of its areas is close to the RAF runway at Leuchars. A brief mention is made of Sea Buckthorn being planted in 1929-30 to protect the sea ward edge of the forest, how the sand deposits have increased and the high water edge is currently 1.5 miles east of its location as at 1900.
The forest is supervised by I S Watt as District Officer, H A Kingham as Head Forester and Duncan Menzies as Assistant Forester and total area is over 3900 acres. As planting began in 1922 there is a large timber harvesting programme ongoing. At the time there were nine Forestry Commission houses including one on a Holding, eight forest workers plus up to 12 timber merchant employees.
The botanical and ornithological values of the sandy coast and shallow sea edge are stated as also the attraction to local visitors for recreation and picnics. A small map of the forest is included.
Blairadam Forest
The subject of the second visit is described as an area that had a long history of forestry by the Adam family going back to 1733. The family famous is history as architects and lawyers were also intensely interested in forestry and one William Adam describes in detail the history of the estate including its forestry policy as in 1792. He classified the forestry land totalling 1140 acres into five categories with a full description of each.
The Forestry Commission acquired the area of 10 separate blocks over a period of years beginning in 1927. The area now totalled 3686 acres and was administered by Head Forester R M Ellen and A H Weir as Forester. W F French District Officer II also joined the party with I S Watt.
The gale damage of 1968 is estimated as at over 36,000cu m of which 75% had been cleared by time of visit. There were only four Forestry Commission houses and two Forest Worker Holdings on the forest. The FC workers numbered 14 but the timber merchants had employed up to 40 men at the peak wind blow working but that was now scaled down to about 20 workers.
A table on the gale wind directions and force (over 100mph in gusts) is included and also discussions on how to increase stability of tree crops on the prevalent gleys in the area. A small of the forest map is included.
Please see PDF below for full visit agenda and detail.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports