Peter Burman -Faskally Forester Training School Student � Did you know him?

Date Added: 02 April 2023 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1960 Picture No: 5589

The photograph is courtesy of Duncan Burman who is searching for early life details of his late father.

Duncan says ‘My dad, Peter Burman, was at Faskally 1959 to 1961. He finally finished up as Superintendent's Deputy and conservation Officer at Epping Forest before his untimely death from cancer in 1996 at the age of 58. I am now trying to piece together his early life and while I know he was at Faskally and did a stint at Parkend Forestry School, Forest of Dean, in the summer of 1961, I know little else. Apparently he also did garden maintenance for the Chemists house in Pitlochry to supplement his income while he was there!’

The photograph shows Peter on the left working in a forest nursery. Is this Ledmore Forest Nursery and do you know the other student? (Possibly John Livingston). Were you at Faskally in any of the years 1959-1961 and do you have any student group photographs including Peter taken at this time?

Any details would be very welcome.

Appears to be the early days of planting trees delivered in plastic bags. They had to kept in the shade otherwise 'cooked' very easily. When did the white coated black bags first make an appearance?

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Groups: Forest Nurseries, Forester Training Schools and Universities

2 Comments

Duncan Burman with help from Steve Cooper have suggested the second student is John Livingstone. Steve recalls John was one of the nicest men he had ever known. Comment left on 23 August 2023 at 08:58 by Norman Davidson

I am sorry that I cannot add any personal details for those featured in the photograph. However, as a point of interest, the tractor tracks either side of John Livingstone are those of the Bristol 22 featured in "picture #5310" on this site.

As for the question "When did the white coated black bags first make an appearance?" I believe that Paul Tabbush and Chris Quine, et al, FR Silviculturalists and foresters were involved in the developement and then commercial use of these plant bags in the 1980's. When planting the west face (Garbat) of the Little Wyvis hill from 1984 through to 1985 (57.659790, -4.643478) and restocking in clear fell areas, in Torrachilty, Easter Ross, we were using a mixture of freshly lifted, bare root stock and some co-extruded black/white bags from cold store storage. However, co-extruded bags are not the panacia to "cooked", dessicated, frozen, mouldy or dead plants that many in the forest nursery industry believe, even today! Comment left on 23 August 2023 at 17:34 by Bill Rayner

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