Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 203 - November 1964
The digitisation of the Slasher was undertaken by, and images courtesy of, the Forest Research Knowledge and Information Management staff based at both the Northern Research Station in Roslin, Scotland and Alice Holt in Surrey, where the original copies are currently located.
The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text to view the full document. A total of over 400 issues were produced between 1948 and the final issue in 2010.
Some Visits Abroad
Mr E.G. Richards, who is in charge of Sales and Utilisation branch at Headquarters was recently in Rumania with our Chairman, Lord Waldegrave and the Director General, Sir Henry Beresford-Peirse.
Rumania is a land of contrast according to Mr Richards. In the capital Bucharest, large parts of the town are being rebuilt and close to modern apartment blocks, lie streets of one-storey houses and shops, their eastern bazaar like appearance contrasting strongly with the adjacent modern slab architecture.
In the mountains, shepherds take their flocks from pasture to pasture, sometimes taking a short cut along some highway disrupting traffic. The skyline broke is broken by the tall derricks of oil wells and magnificent forests of beech, spruce and fir run down to modern petrochemical and heavy engineering works in the valleys. The Rumanian beech, much imported by Britain, may be converted in a modern integrated factory where the British Stenner and Wadkin band mills run alongside a production line for facing hardboard or chipboard with the latest synthetic plastic veneers.
Rumania is one of the Europe's largest producers of wood, embarking on an ambitious poplar and willow afforestation programme in areas unsuitable for agriculture.
Wildlife Management and Forests in Hungary
Mr P.F. Garthwaite who visited Hungary with Mr E.G. Richards sends an interesting report.
There are 3.5 million acres of forest, about 14 per cent of the land surface, of which 96 percent is broadleaved, mainly beech, oaks, limes, ash, hornbeam and poplar. Future planting plans involve Scots, Corsican and Austrian pine.
A day was spent studying wildlife managements, especially deer where the aim is for small numbers of high quality animals, with minimal damage to the forest. This is achieved by scientific culling, introduction of fresh stock of superior genetic type, and by feeding, which also diverts browsing damage. Normally about 0.5% of the forest is devoted to "deer meadows", where a variety of crops are grown.
Bakethin Bridge Opened
Bakethin Bridge at Kielder, Northumberland, was opened last month by Lord Waldegrave. The new 90ft span structure crossing the River North Tyne replaces the old deteriorating bridge built by the Commission during the war.
The new bridge was built for the commission by 32 field squadron of 38 corps Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers as a military exercise to a design prepared by Commission Engineers. Assistance and supervision on the project was given by a team of Forestry Commission Engineering staff led by Mr T.A. Murdoch, the Commission's Conservancy Engineer for North East England. The Commission's Engineering staff in Yorkshire provided precast concrete units for the decking.
Approximately 100 men stationed at Ripon were employed on the job, 50 for the first four weeks and the remainder for a second period of similar duration. They occupied a tented camp by the old railway station at nearby Plashetts Village.
Troops formed a guard of honour for the Chairman. Also attending were Major General H.T. Alexander, Chief of Staff, Northern Command; Mr Gerald Palmer, Forestry Commissioner; Mr J.R. Thom, Director, England; Mr G.J.L. Batters, Conservator, N.E. England; Mr W.T. Smith, Divisional Officer; Mr T.A. Murdoch, Conservancy Engineer; Mr K.W. Wilson, District Officer, Kielder and Mr T. Bassey, Area Civil Engineer.
Promotion
Mr M.L. David has been promoted to Assistant Secretary.
Request For Help
A request for photographs of notable squares, monuments or public buildings in Brussels, Tehran, Kabul, Mandalay and Peking. They are required for a travelling exhibit next year which will illustrate the Commission's achievements in building and maintaining 7,000 miles of forest roads, the total length of those roads is equal to the distance from London to Vladivostok.
Publication
The first of the Commission's new Safety Series booklets for the prevention of accidents has been published. The booklet has been devised by Mr J.H. Holroyd, Principal at Headquarters, Mr J.H. James, Chief Education Officer, Mr D.T. Patterson, Forester-Artist of the Dean School, Mr R.A.W. Ley of Headquarters, Safety Officer and others. The title "Don't Read This Book" entices the reader to turn the page and read the following page which continues "If you want to be added to those who have an accident in the forest". Twenty two full page cartoons by D.T. Patterson follow with safety advice.
Transfer: Divisional Officer
E.M. Conder from London, D (E) to York, NE (E)
Transfers: District Officers
G.A. Dey from Cairnbaan, W (S) to Cardiff, S (W)
S. Forrester from Work Study to Cairnbaan
J.V.S.H. Crossland from Kendal, NW (E) to D (E) London
E H.M. Harris from Cardiff to Gwydyr, Education
J.W. Henderson from Neath, S (W) to Llandrindod N (W)
R.T. Hurst from Wakefield, SW (E) to Work Study
A.H.A. Scott from Exeter to Work Study
Transfers: Foresters
G.D.H.J. Bland-Flagg from Hereford, SW (E) to Work Study
E.A. Howell from Planning and Economics to Brechfa, S (W)
R.H. McGeachy from Glenrickard, W (S) to Glenbranter, W (S)
J. P. McRone from Loch Ard, W (S) to Strathyre, W (S)
T. Roberts from Dyfnant, N (W) to Dovey Bryncynfil, N (W)
D.A. Robertson from Strathyre, W (S) to Loch Ard, W (S)
D.R. Thomas from Sherwood to Walcot, NW (E)
T.W. Thomas from Dovey, N (W) to Aeron N (W)
J.P. Hamilton from Aeron, N (W) to Dyfnant, N (W)
V. Williams from Brechfa, S (W) to Rheola, S (W)
H. Yates from Ennerdale, NW (E) to Kershope, NW (E)
Transfers: Assistant Foresters
C.R. Alpe from Dartmoor, SW (E) to Alice Holt, Planning and Economics
D.A. Bell from Kidland, NE (E) to Rothbury Planning and Economics
R.D. Boyd from Barcaldine to Strathyre Planning and Economics
D.G. Caird from Whitelee, W (S) to Glenrickard
D. Campbell from Glenurquhart N (S) to Loch Ard;
W. Elger from Garclochhead, W (S) to Achnamara, Planning and Economics;
I.C. Embry from Brightling, SE (E) to Alice Holt, Planning and Economics;
H.J. Griffiths from Brechfa to Giedd;
P.B. Hunt from Working Plans to Brightling
P. Hutchinson from Mortimer, NW (E) to Ennerdale;
G.N. Kearns from Wark, NE (E) to Alice Holt, Planning and Economics
M.D. Lamson from Draethen, S (W) to Mynydd Ddu, S (W)
P.W. Lansdown from Poorstock, SW (E) to Work Study
D.J. Lyons from Glenrickard to S. Kintyre, W (S)
T.B. MacGregor from Blade Isle, N (S) to Conor Bridge, Planning and Economics
A. Macintosh from Glenduror, W (S) to Rowardennan
D.F. McCallum from Glenrickard to Whitelee
C.G. Mitchell from Cotswold, SW (E) to Alice Holt, Planning and Economics
T.B. Moore from Kershope to Blidworth, Planning and Economics
T.J. Queen from Rowardennan to Ft. Augustus, Work Study
P.G. Risby from Aylesbury to Coleford, Planning and Economics
M. Shaw from Balcaldine to Strathyre
I.J.L. Tillotson from Working Plans to Cranborne Chase, SW (E)
P.J. Webb from Alice Holt to Hartland, SW (E)