The Formation of Griffin Forest in Perthshire by Tilhill the first ten years from 1980
The article in the PDF has been compiled by Tom McLellan and his comments are below:
“This is my story of the establishment of Griffin Forest, by Aberfeldy, Perthshire.
I think Griffin Forest is a unique story and it is good to be able to tell the first 10 years of the story 40 years on from when we planted the first trees. I am sure that there is scope for someone to write Part 2 covering the last 30 years.
I have been heartened to be told that the sawlogs being harvesting from Griffin are "good" and I am satisfied that the 10 years of my life from 1980 to 1990 have not been wasted. It would seem that Griffin Forest is as productive as one might reasonably expect and as far as I can see meets all of my "rules of thumb" in terms of productivity.
Indeed, It looks as Griffin Forest will go on and fulfil the main management objective of maximising it's commercial timber production value, by producing a good proportion of quality sawlogs and contributing to Britain's strategic timber requirements and Scotland's one billion-pound forest industry.
Having been in touch with a number of the foresters who were involved at Griffin Forest, quite a few are still working very successfully in forestry or related industries.
All of my former colleagues got back to me with comments and anecdotes on the story of the establishment of Griffin Forest and the feedback that they gave me certainly jogged my memory from 30-40 years ago.
I was heartened to hear how they has progressed in their career in forestry and It is good to know that working at the 'coalface' with Tilhill Forestry provided the springboard for big opportunities throughout the world, including here in the UK and proves the view that I have always held, that working in forestry is not just a career but also a vocation. It gives me as much satisfaction that their time at Griffin Forest has also not been wasted and it is a record of the 'can do' attitude of all the foresters that were involved during that time.
I hope that everyone finds the story of the establishment of Griffin Forest an interesting and informative read".
The full story on the PDF can be accessed below - Note that the Griffin is the emblem of the Midland Bank.
Names that are mentioned in the PDF who assisted Tom McLellan with formation of the forest:
Fenning Welstead, Tom Dunlop, Colin MacBrayne, Colin Macpherson
John Macdonald, Rupert Pearson, John Burrow, Iain Sutherland
Mike Hodgson, Neil Hughes, Graham Drennan-Smith, Murray Ure
John Lamond, Bill Shepherd, Hugh Carmichael, Ian Mathieson
Also the following names:
Darcy Black, George Davidson, Don MacCaskill, Roy Dennis
Andrew Allan & Son, Callander
Henderson Brothers, Cuper, Fife
Other terms mentioned in the PDF:
Paraffin Fuel Heather burners
Hathaway pumps
Fire exercise Glen Cochill
Geordie Davidson on Caterpillar D6 pulling Double furrow tine plough
Double furrow plough developed by Andrew Allan
D4 Single furrow mounted plough Andrew Allan
Sickle plough mounted on a D9
Clark Humpy Draining Plough D4 and D6 tractors
Culltullich Burn
Harvesting Birch 6000 tons for Scottish Timber Products, Stirling
Shuttle Forwarder
Muskegs and Slipes
White hare damage
Nitrogen and phosphate fertilising
Aerial fertilising with Dollar Helicopter G-AZNI
Heather control with 2,4-D and Glyphosate
Sitka spruce in mixture with Scots pine
Basis 3 (Basis III) dedication scheme
Bronze Age sites Cup and ring hut circles farmsteads
Black Throated Diver, Peregrine Falcon, Black Grouse, Mountain Hare, Red Grouse, Black Headed Gulls, Osprey
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Groups: Aircraft in Forestry Work, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Other Vehicles and Machines, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines