Forestry Memories

Who is Who of the Macdonald Foresters

Some time ago John Keenleyside, Forres, wrote up a note on the foresters with the surname Macdonald that he had come into contact with in his long forestry career. Below are his notes (Any more Macdonald additions or corrections are very welcome)

Who is Who of the Macdonald Foresters.

1. James Macdonald. Director of Research and Education. In the 1950’s operating from 25 Savile Row London.

2. J.A.B. Macdonald, Silviculturist (North) from the Forties until 1953. In Research a pioneer in cultivation and fertilisation. The first machines capable of coping with the conditions came over during the war on lease lend, these were tracked machines D2, D4 etc. The bigger ones were used initially to make roads into the peatlands but bigger machines followed on ploughing with Cuthbertson being a pioneer in this field.

J.A.B. became Cons. South Scot in 1953, when they were building a new village at Glentrool at embarking on huge afforestaton programmes all over the border area. He applied his knowledge of fertilisation, gained in Research to vast areas in the border area with phosphate at the start recognised as being necessary for establishment.

3. Murdo Macdonald was an eminent Research Forester at Mabie in South Scotland for many years and specialised in nursery experiments mainly concerning nutrition of seedlings and planting stock to ensure well fed plants with strong root systems went out to the planting sites. (All types of vermin loved them, the tastiest bite they had been provided with). He spent the latter part of his career on big planting schemes on the South side of Loch Awe.

4. Roddie Macdonald (Murdo’s brother).
He was in temp in charge of Benmore Forestry School after the retrial of
Harry Watson who had been there for many years. Roddie was a soft spoken West Coast man, dedicated to passing on his knowledge of practical Forestry and the training of the next generation of foresters. He did not enjoy good health and passed away at an early age leaving a wife and young family.

5. Angus Macdonald an early product of the Benmore School spent the rest of his career based at Fort Augustus on Research work where he picked up on the early work done at Corrour and developed it over many years at the Lon Mor. He covered a vast area of the Highlands, the Western Islands and Orkney. (He did not cover Shetland because the departure point for Shetland was Aberdeen it was covered from Tulliallan by James Farquhar).

6. Hamish Macdonald (Angus Macdonald’s son) was an example of a second generation forester who spent most of his career in South Scotland (Cons.) and ended up in Lockerbie.

7. Willie Macdonald from Benmore Forest was a great Trade Unionist who spent his time fighting for a living wage for the lower grades in The Forestry Commission.

8. William Macdonald East Cons Scot.
He spent his time at Kirkhill Forest North of Aberdeen. The Fife Coast where there was some shifting sands and ended up in Drumtochty Forest in Kincardine as it was then. He was engaged in big planting programmes over the hill from Drumtochty to Glenfarquhar where there was a big acquiition in the 1950’s.


Notes to support above.
H.M.Steven was Prof in Aberdeen Dept of Forestery until the early 1960,s. Followed by John Mathews ( The F.C. Geneticist), who recruited Dr Miles Crook (F.C. Entomologist). And Stan Murray a (F.C. Pathologist who served under Tom Peace).

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