Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 261 - April/May 1970
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.
Northern Research Station Official Opening
Despite the "Scotch mist", one hundred and forty hosts and guests attended the official opening of the Northern Research Branch in Edinburgh in May 1970.
The Commission Chairman Leslie Jenkins said the 40-50 scientists, forest officers and supporting staff are housed in this specially designed building in which are incorporated most up-to-date and pleasant offices.
The Northern Research Station represents forestry throughout Britain and is the twin of Alice Holt Lodge.
Mr Brian Holtam, CRO (N), welcomed the guests and paid tribute to all who had worked to make possible the day's event.
The Rt. Hon. William Ross, MBE, MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, unveiled a commemorative plaque and planted a birch tree outside the main entrance.
Appointment
Miss Sylvia Crowe who has been Landscape Consultant to the Commission since 1964, has been re-appointed to the role and has agreed to serve for a further period of two years.
Chelsea Flower Show
The subject of the Commission's first-ever exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show 1970 was "Bark in Horticulture". The exhibit was organised by Mr Jack Aaron of Harvesting and Marketing Division at HQ.
The exhibit was visited by Mr Fred Loads, of the BBC's Gardeners' Question Time and representatives of gardening magazines.
Artist's Tribute
A painting entitled "The Deer Leap" has been presented to the Commission by Mr S.G. Brown, former Chairman and now President of the Friends of Cannock Chase.
The picture will be hung in the Forest Museum at Cannock.
British Pen Pal Wanted
The Commission's Work Study Branch at Alice Holt Lodge has been asked if they can find a pen pal for the 13 year old daughter of a German Oberforster.
Rinse & Return
Included in advice for users of pesticide products is the request by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to rinse out pesticide containers and for the washings to be added to the contents of the spray tank.
M.O.D. Forestry
There are plans to increase the Ministry of Defence woodlands. There are currently about 3,500 acres in Wiltshire and plantations are managed on Salisbury Plain, Porton, Monkton Farleigh, Corsham and Colerne.
Approximately 200,00 trees are being planted per annum.
Transfer
After 21 years in the New Forest, Head Forester John Wood has been transferred to Ashford, Kent, where he will be giving advice to private woodland owners in the area.
Appointments
Mr David R. Johnson, MA has been appointed Director of Management Services Division, in succession to Mr John Q. Williamson, MBE.
Mr J.S.R. Chard, B.Sc., Conservator of Forests for North West England has been appointed Wildlife Adviser to the Commission in succession to Mr P.F. Garthwaite, who retired recently.
After 34 years with the Commission, Mr John Q. Williamson, MBE., is leaving to take up an F.O.A. appointment with the Chilean Forestry Division.
H.M. The Queen has approved the appointment of Mr Philip Nicholls to be a member of the Forestry Commission for Administration and Finance, in succession to Mr P.F.R. Beards, who has retired.
The Grizedale Society
The Grizedale Society has established the Countryside Theatre, in part of the Forest Centre which was opened to capacity audiences at Easter, with two professional folk concerts and a lecture on "Wildlife in North America" by Professor Michael Thomas of the University of Syracuse, New York.
Many natural history talks and wildlife art and industrial archaeology exhibitions are being arranged.
Productivity
After receipts for produce of over £100,000 in a month, East England Conservancy has obtained gross receipts of over £1,000,000 in the financial year 1969/70. Actual receipts were £1,017,286 of which £894,035 (88 per cent) was in respect of produce. During the year, over a million h.ft has been felled at Thetford Forest in each of the last quarters of the year.
Eggesford Forest
Forest workers past and present gathered at Flashdown Plantation in Eggesford Forest on 23rd March 1970, where the first planting by the Forestry Commission was carried out 50 years ago.
Included were Mr Stan Forrester, the District Officer in North Devon; Mr Fulford, Head Forester at Eggesford; Mrs Eileen Down, wife of a staff member and daughter of Mr E.C. Kibble, who was in charge of Eggesford Forest for 26 years; and Mr Jack Kingdom, the oldest member of the present squad.
Lost Acres and Ways
Research Forester Eric Crofts of Tulliallan Nursery W (S) is disappointed that the F.C. Journal is no longer to be published. Thus his work on a lengthy article on the waste of land and aesthetic disadvantages of forest rides, will not find an audience, especially as he believes it is too comprehensive for the Slasher, and would suffer from being condensed.
Mr Crofts says accurate measurements of forest maps in NE (E) have shown that up to 25 per cent of a forest area is under unproductive and unsightly rides. The average wastage in the areas measured is 12-15 per cent.
Paper Output Up
Output from British paper mills continues to increase. During the first three months, the mills output a record 893,000 tons of paper compared with 881,000 tons during the same period last year.
Royal Forestry Society's New President
Mr R.H.B. Hamersley, MVO, JP, is the new President of the Royal Forestry Society, succeeding Mr Charles J. Venables OBE, who has retired. The Society's Vice-President is Lord Inglewood, a woodland owner in Cumberland.
Donation
An anonymous giver has donated £10 to the Forestry Commission Benevolent Fund.
TRADA's New Chairman
Mr Felix Palmer is the new Chairman of the Timber Research and Development Association. He is a director of Churchill & Sim Ltd, the London woodbrokers.
Land Commission's New Chairman
Mr George Chetwynd, CBE, the current Deputy Chairman of the Commission, will succeed Sir Henry Wells, CBE, as Chairman when he retires in June.
Exhibition
As a contribution to European Conservation Year, the Department of Human Environment held an exhibition at the Institute of Archaeology in London entitled "The Countryside in 1970 B.C.". The exhibition showed panoramas of the Wiltshire Downs and the Cleveland Hills, together with reconstructions of what they probably looked like in late Neolithic times.
Fall of Man
An oak tree, one of the best known landmarks in the New Forest, known as the "Naked Man" has fallen down again. A report in a Hampshire newspaper says the dead, beetle ridden oak near Wilverley Enclosure is thought to have been used as a gibbet and its last victim was a highwayman named Markway.
The tree was first depicted by Isaac Taylor on his map of Hampshire in 1759, and is shown there with stubby arms as a "naked man" with two disjointed limbs, grotesquely extended, and is probably the earliest accurate picture of an individual tree on any English map. It has fallen before, and once more it will be righted and propped up by the Commission.
Game Conservancy
The first Annual Review of the new Game Conservancy, mainly dealing with conservation has been published.
Retirements
Mr C.W. Redford, BEM, Chief Forester, has retired after 40 years with the Commission.
Mr Charles A. Bloor, Head Forester, has retired after joining the Commission in 1927.
Mr Hamish A. Maxwell, BA (Forestry), Conservator North (S) retired on 19th May after more than 22 years' service with the Commission.
Mr Evan McLeod, retired on 28th April 1970 after first joining the Commission at Monaughty in 1923.
Mr William McDonald, Head Forester, Drumtochty Forest has retired after 46 years service with the Commission.
Mr Ian Stewart, District Officer, Brechin has retired after 22 years' service with the Commission.
Mr John Davies, Lledr Forest, retired on 10th April 1970 after 44 years' service with the Commission.
Mr James Farquhar, MBE, Chief Forester, Silviculture North Section of Research Division, retired in March after spending 40 years in forestry.
Mr John Weatherell, Chief Research Forester, Wykeham, retired in March after beginning his career in forestry as a Forest Worker at Hamsterley Forest in 1928.
Obituary
Mr Tom V. Dent, MBE, recently retired Assistant Conservator, NE (E) Conservancy died on 11th April.
Presentations
C.W. Redford, BEM, Chief Forester, retirement presentation at the Village Hall in Santon Downham.
Charles A. Bloor, Head Forester, retirement presentation at the Red Lion in Yardley Hastings.
Mr Hamish A. Maxwell, BA (Forestry), Conservator North (S) retirement presentation and dinner at the National Hotel, Dingwall.
Mr Evan McLeod, retirement presentation at the Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin.
Mr William McDonald, Head Forester, Drumtochty Forest retirement presentation at a tea party in Drumtochty.
Mr Ian Stewart, District Officer, Brechin retirement presentation and luncheon at the home of Mr & Mrs Ian Stewart and their sons Hugh and John.
Mr John Davies, Lledr Forest, retirement presentation at Wibernant, overlooking the Lledr Valley.
Mr James Farquhar, MBE, Chief Forester, Silviculture North Section of Research Division, retirement dinner and presentation in Edinburgh.
Mr John Weatherell, Chief Research Forester, Wykeham, retirement presentation dinner at the Thornton Dale Hotel.
Congratulations: Marriage
Congratulations to Mr D.W.L. Robertson, C.E.A. North Area N (W), and Miss A. Clegg, Gwydyr Castle, on their marriage. The wedding ring was made from gold 'panned' by Mr Robertson in Sutherland.