Strathy Forest – Sutherland 1952-1967
Images are courtesy of Malcolm Wield, Glenurquhart and Gordon Donaldson who contacted holders and collected Forest Name images and actual forest signs from several locations. The metal signs were manufactured by The Royal Label Factory (RLF) that has a history going back over 100 years of producing aluminium and none corroding metal signs.
The forest signs featured here show a little of the evolving nature of their design. Very early signs of this type appear to have had the words State Forest in the design. The signs following this simply had the forest management unit name and Forestry Commission highlighted in a yellow colour. Scotland located forests had the rampant lion at the bottom with the usual crown at the top. It is not certain if these were originally pointed yellow or red, the latter colour certainly used on the ridged edge lines. The word ‘Forest’ after the unit name appears to have evolved possibly about the late 1950s or early 1960s. The ladder style wooden signs were introduced around about 1973 and replaced the old metal signs in most areas except for some isolated forests.
Strathy Forest started life as a forest unit in 1952 but did not begin planting until 1954. The forest certainly had a number of Forest Research experimental areas within its boundaries including some which were mixed species trials such as Sitka spruce and Larch.
The total area of the forest unit was 5300 acres of which by 1967 782 acres had been planted. Strathy Forest ended its days as a separate forest unit in 1967 when it was incorporated into Borgie Forest all of which was subsequently combined into Naver Forest (firstly named as Borgie in 1972 then Naver in 1973).
Download Large Version (503kB)
Groups: Forest Signs, Forestry Areas