FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 49: Summer 2013
FC staff Retirement Association magazine. The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment below the text to view the full document. A total of 77 issues were completed between 1997 and the final issue in 2013.
Issue 49: Summer 2013
Articles
Sheer Nostalgia
Martin Fletcher reminisces on Forestry Commission forms and rules.
Scots Pine - Scotland’s Proposed National Tree
Professor T.C. Smout’s views on the Scots Pine being proposed as Scotland’s national tree.
Scots Pine in History & Folklore
Karen Bell writes about the history and folklore of the Scots Pine.
Sorbus Leyana
Peter Charlesworth read an article in the Western Mail on 9th July 2010 entitled Naturalists go wild over the future of a rare species. It goes on to say that in 1957, one of the founder members of the Merthyr and District Naturalists' Society identified a Ley's whitebeam at Penmoelallt. At that time the FC had just acquired 1500ac. there which included the woodland where the Sorbus grew, and Peter was the newly appointed assistant forester. The founder member of the society was a local school teacher who enquired about Peter’s work. When he said he was assistant forester at Penmoelallt, the teacher invited him to see a tree that he had recently discovered on a limestone escarpment in the Taff valley. On reaching the tree, and referring to a text book, he identified it as a very rare whitebeam. The book had been written by the Rev. Ley and the tree had been named after him, Sorbus leyana. Peter’s article has more information on the Sorbus Leyana.
Felling Eucalyptus Regnans in Victoria, Australia
In July 1950, Eric Crofts saw an advertisement in a Melbourne newspaper for skiing weekends. Eric and Jack Campbell left Melbourne one Saturday morning to enjoy a weekend’s skiing. At Warragul, they went north to Noojee and the Great Dividing Range. They climbed Mount Bawbaw (5120ft) to the tiny settlement of Tanjil Bren (3000ft) and entered a belt of Mountain ash (E. regnans) and climbed to the huts, house and abandoned sawmill of Newlyn (3500ft). After a chance meeting, Eric decided to join a team felling trees. He continues the story in his article.
Shetland Hazelnuts May be First for 4,500 Years
A surprising location for hazelnuts which require a warmer climate than usually experienced on Shetland.
From the Editor
A comment from Richard Toleman.
Obituary
Jane Lines, wife of Roger, passed away this June. She was a keen naturalist and birdwatcher.
Groups: Forestry Commission staff magazines