FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 67: Summer 2019
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 2023.
Issue 67: Summer 2019
Articles
FCA AGM 2019
Notes from the 2019 FCA Annual General Meeting, held at the Crown Hotel, Mundford, Norfolk on 21st May 2019, including the outlook for the FCA.
FCA AGM 2019 Summary of Group Reports
Group reports from North Scotland, West Argyll, North Wales, South Wales, Yorkshire, Peninsula and Brecklands.
National AGM 2019 Breckland Group
Simon Malone reports on the FCA National AGM dinner and the field visit.
William’s Cleugh Pine Pollinations 2013
Graham Gill has written about William’s Cleugh Pine Pollinations 2013. The background for the article begins in 1955 with the mention of Valdemars Blankenburgs, a civil engineer with the Forestry Commission and a World War II refugee from Latvia, who photographed the William’s Cleugh pines. The photograph was reproduced in the Border Forest Park Guide (Walton, 1958). Five mature trees survive in the area of the William’s Cleugh fenced enclosure. In-depth details of the subsequent pollinations are given.
Treasure Trove in Thetford
In the article Treasure Trove in Thetford, Brian Greig looks back to a survey he was conducting in Thetford Forest in 1970 with George Marshall and Gordon Griffith. They were examining Scots pine stumps for infection using a mattock-like tool called a Pulaski. When Gordon’s Pulaski struck a metal object in the ground, they discovered a silver chalice. Engraving showed it had been presented to the first Earl Nelson, who was Horatio Nelson’s eldest brother, the Reverend William Nelson. An interesting story unfolds of the successful search for the current owners and further discoveries. Brian adds a postscript of a memory of the storm of October 1987 to his article.
Yorkshire Ports & Plant Health in our Forests
Dick Ayre describes his work as a plant health inspector at ports until his retirement in 2004. He describes the precautions taken to treat and protect conifer transplants, stumps and timber against the import and spread of insects and disease.
Sunny Days With the Breckland Group
Simon Malone’s article recalls the Group’s Spring outing from Santon Downham which included a ride on the Poppy Line.
Eighteen Visit Grandad’s Shed
In his article, Arthur Miller writes about an interesting visit by the North Wales Group to Tacla Taid, the family run transport and agriculture museum on the island of Anglesey.
Logs to Burn
Dorothy Munn shared a poem, attributed to Honor Goodhart and used in folk songs, which was written out by her father-in-law and hangs on her wall.
100 Years at the Forest of Dean
Rob Guest recalls the celebration of 100 Years at the Forest of Dean. In March, FC retirees from the Dean and North Wales gathered with current FC staff to celebrate 100 years of the Forestry Commission and to unveil a plaque organised by the Forest of Dean group of the FCA. Among those in attendance were Jim Sauter, Brian Mahony, Kevin Stannard and also Royston James, who had started working with the FC on the Bream beat in the Dean in 1949 when he was 15.
Dean FTS Reunion Dinner 1905-1971
Notification is given of the Dean FTS Students’ Reunion scheduled for 21st September, 2019 in The Verderer’s Court at The Speech House, Coleford, Gloucestershire.
Letters to the Editor
Don Amer is moving to the next phase of his life. After his wife died, he has decided to move into a one bedroom apartment.
Wilma Harper has sent in a photograph of Commissioners at Rannoch in 1960 and also articles on Henry Marshall Steven and Jock Alan Carlisle. The Forestry Commissioners at 30th September 1961 were The Earl of Radnor, Major D. C. Bowser, Lt.-Col. Sir Richard Cotterell, Mr. E. Gwynfryn Davies, Mr. Edward Bryan Latham, Capt. J. Maxwell Macdonald, Mr. Lloyd O. Owen, Sir John Stirling of Fairburn, Major Sir William Strang Steel, Mr. T. Taylor, Director General Sir Arthur Gosling, Deputy DG Mr. James Macdonald and Director of Forestry Scotland Mr. A. Watt, any of whom could be in the photograph.
From the Editor
A comment from Richard Toleman.
Obituary
John Roe writes of the death of Angus Maxwell. Many members of the old North Wales Conservancy will be saddened to hear of the death of Angus at the great age of 97.
Groups: Forestry Commission staff magazines