North and East Conservancies – Institute of Foresters of Great Britain - Study Tour
The notes are courtesy of Duncan Menzies, Banchory, who was stationed at Laigh of Moray at the time.
The four day tour includes travel to Drumossie Hotel near Inverness and in the evening an address by R (Bob) G Cathie, Conservator North Scotland followed by a illustrated talk by George Dey, District officer based at Dingwall.
The second day visits to Craigellachie Forest and Shians Estate with the lead taken by Jim Atterson (Forest Research?). The Forestry Commission managing staff listed are:
I (Ian) A D Grant, Conservator - East Scotland
D (David) B Paterson, Assistant Conservator – East Scotland
A H A Scott, District Officer – Moray District
R (Bert) B Thomson, Chief Forester – Craigellachie Forest
A (Abbie) Gordon, Forester – Craigellachie Forest
There follows and extensive description of the 5260ha forest, geology, location, climate, establishment history, protection and harvesting. There are brief references to aerial spraying of Pine Beauty moth (Panolis flammea) larvae with Fenitrothion at Elchies Forest in 1979, harvesting programme of up to 5000 cu m annually and the use of Kockums thinning processor with a Bruunet Forwarder by racking at 16m spacing and chevron line thinning between racks resulting in 50% removal of crop and also the ongoing construction of the Speyside Way, the long distance walk.
The next area visited in Shians Estate (Mrs Carol Kroch-Rhoddes) managed by Fountain Forestry. There is a description of the forestry areas on the estate, geology species, Lodgepole pine provenances and fertilising.
In the evening there is an address by Sir David Montgomery, Chairman of the Forestry Commission.
Day three led by J (Jack) Evans is a visit to Glenurquhart Forest followed by Affric Forest.
Staff listed are:
T C (Calvin) Booth, District officer
D C Smith, Chief Forester
Martin Rodgers, Head Forester
John W Chree, Forester
And in Affric:
Finlay M MacRae, District officer
Hugh D Morris, Chief Forester
Ivan P Toulmin-Rothe, Head Forester
Brian Stanger, Forester
Extensive descriptions of the two forests, areas, geology, planting and harvesting programmes. Visits to Native pine wood regeneration areas.
Day four led by J Voysey is a visit to Lethen Estate before end of tour in the afternoon.
People listed are:
Mrs D H Brodie, Lethen Estate Trustee
Ewen Brodie, Lethen Estate Trustee
Ian Mathieson, Head Forester
James T Logie, retired Head Forester
Ronald Gordon (John Gordon and Sons Timber Merchants)
Estate had been in Brodie family for over 330 years and crops into second generation at least. Descriptions of geology, soils, timber crop age and species distribution and harvesting programmes.
Please see the PDF below for the full Tour Guide.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports