FCA Magazine (Forest Forum) - Issue 72: Summer 2021
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.
Forest Forum – Archives 2021
The Forest Forum archives 2021 include: -
Notices
FTS Reunion 9th October 2021
Martin Fletcher and Gerry Gissop are sending out letters to ex-FTS students as 2021 marks 50 years since the Forestry Commission ceased training foresters, after more than sixty years of running the Forestry Schools. Following a successful FTS Reunion in 2019 with 24 ex-FTS students from Gwydyr and the Dean present, with 36 in all; the idea was mooted to arrange another one in 2021. Jerry and Martin feel this should be for any ex-FTS student. So hopefully this would include Dean, Gwydyr, Faskally, Lynford Hall, and perhaps Benmore and Glentress.
Group News
Group meetings and activities have been almost non existent during the past year during to the pandemic.
Parking Concessions for FCA Members
Forestry England has agreed to honour the concessions that members had under the previous FC regime, allowing free use of car parks, forest drives and entry to Westonbirt and Bedgebury arboreta. There are special car windscreen stickers which will be distributed to members on request, either from the local group or from Charles Dickens.
Liaison Agreement Forestry England/Scotland
Charles Dickens the FCA Liaison Officer says “Now that the government forestry authorities are settling down to operating as three quite separate entities, the FCA has reviewed its liaison with Forestry England and Forestry and Land Scotland. To date I have been the sole contact between these bodies and the FCA and all inquiries from new retirees wishing to know more about us being directed to me. I then pass on retirees names and addresses to the appropriate Groups. Rather than my always acting as the intermediary, it was proposed that FE and FLS correspond direct with the groups. For Scotland, FLS have the contact details for West Argyll and North Scotland groups to pass directly on to new retirees. For England, the FE Bristol office was reluctant to have to hold details for all the English groups, they preferred to have just one liaison point. I am pleased say that Brian Mahony has stepped forward to take my place as the liaison between FE and the FCA. Brian is happy to take on this role and he is well known to our FE contacts in the FE Bristol office. Sadly, for Wales, we have made little progress with Natural Resources Wales and taking the views of the North and South Wales groups we have decided to rely on personal contacts between FCA members and NRA forestry staff to promote the FCA. I will still retain my role as the overall FCA liaison officer but perhaps taking more of a back seat.”
Articles
Black Paradise Flycatcher
Brian Greig writes about the Black Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone corvine), which is a critically endangered species in the Seychelles. Locally known as the Veure, the male is a handsome bird with glossy black plumage with a deep blue sheen and long elongated tail feathers. In contrast the female is reddish-brown with a black head and lacks long tail feathers. The birds are only found on the small island of La Digue, but recently there has been a successful introduction programme on Dennis Island.
Life in Retirement
During retirement, Simon Malone has joined a small group of volunteers helping to create a garden at his local railway station.
Lockdown Interest
Brian Greig’s interest during lockdown has been the birds visiting the bird feeders in his garden. The local RSPB group garden scheme records bird sightings during the seasons.
Fact or April Fool
During his career of forty years in the FC, Martin Fletcher owned three of the traditional brown and green striped ties. These were purchased several decades apart as its predecessor wore out. An observation was made about 20 years ago that the bandwidth of each of the coloured stripes was gradually decreasing over time with each new tie purchased. Using the scientific knowledge he had acquired some 60 years earlier when working for the Atomic Energy Authority, measurements of the bandwidths were made, and those of the green and brown stripes added and an average taken. It became apparent that there was a clear correlation between the decreasing average width and the decline in the total number of employees in the FC. He wondered whether this was a clandestine ploy by the senior management of the FC to advance a hidden message. Bryce Reynard is pictured modelling a tie of unknown vintage relative to tie width.
A Norfolk Battlefield
Simon Malone writes about the history of the Ministry of Defence training area on Breckland heath and describes some churches on the land. A book by Hilda and Edmund Perry called “Tottington A Lost Village in Norfolk” contains much information on the area.
Book Reviews
Woodland Wild Flowers by Alan Waterman
As director of a Field Study Centre, Alan Waterman has taken thousands of students and keen amateurs on woodland natural history walks. This book represents his life’s work conveying the joy and fascination of our wild woodland plants to the general public. Over 170 woodland flowers are illustrated.
Cherished Plan by David Gray
Stephen Tong reviews this book about Puck’s Hut – a familiar feature at Benmore Gardens.
Tall Trees and Small Woods by William Mutch
A comprehensive guide to growing and managing woodlands, written in a straightforward style with
explanatory line drawings and colour illustrations.
A Brief History of the Forestry Commission by James Ogilvie
James Ogilvie’s very readable booklet tells the story of 100 years of British State forestry in a delightful nutshell. The author had a lifetime career in the Forestry Commission, manages his own prize-winning woodland and has raised thousands of pounds for Tree Aid. This brief but comprehensive history of the best known forestry brand in UK is a tribute to all those who contributed their time, effort and muscle. James Ogilvie takes you through decade by decade of what has been a remarkable success story. The growth of the forest sector in the last 100 years has delivered wide ranging benefits for all those who work in, live near or play in Britain’s forests.
Letters to the Editor
The obituary for Harry Oram brought back memories for John Martin.
Don Amer writes about articles on the Forest Forum that caught his attention especially "Get on Yer Bike" by Ted Baldwin, "The Gwydyr Forest" and "Some Happy Memories of Dean FTS 1965-67". Ted Baldwin's career mirrored his to some extent, in that Ted began his career at Kielder in 1951, before leaving to go to Lynford Hall FTS. Don went to Kielder in 1959 having qualified at Gwydyr FTS in 1952, but it was Ted's description of the modes of transport which students had at Lynford Hall that were of particular interest.
Eric Rogers also says Ted Baldwin’s article in the Winter issue of FCA Today “Get on your Bike” took him back 50 years. The BSA Bantam illustrated was his and he used it to ride from Lynford Hall at the weekends to his parent’s home in Hertfordshire.
Obituaries
Diane Birkett has reported that Tony Butcher died in New Zealand on 19th July 2021 aged 87 years.
Peter Ford has told of the death of Jim Burns in April.
News has been received of the death of Jack Wade who was well known, particularly for his work at the Ae Machine Operator Training Centre.
Peter Schweiger remembers Harry Oram who died on 9th April 2020 aged 69 years.
Willie Prest has died recently. He was born in Moffat, Dumfriesshire in 1938 and initially joined the Forestry Commission in the Admin and Finance department at Dumfries.
Arthur Miller reports that Andy Phillips died at the beginning of March aged 73 years.
John Roe remembers Peter Burke who died on 23rd February 2021.
Linda Westlake reports that her father Cyril (Danny) Daniel died on 30th October 2020 aged 92 years.
Groups: Forestry Commission staff magazines