Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 263 - August/September 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.
Dying Elms
The Commission called a meeting of all authorities interested in elm trees, with the object of describing Dutch Elm disease, its cause and advising what could be done to contain it.
Further Term of Office
The Queen has approved the re-appointment of Mr Harold Watkins as a part-time member of the Forestry Commission for a further term of 3 years.
Consultative Panel for the New Forest
The Forestry Commissioners announced their intention to set up a New Forest Consultative Panel, to be a sounding board for the expression of views by local organisations and interests on the factors to be taken into account in the management of the Forest.
Commission Win Four Countryside Awards
The Forestry Commission received four awards for countryside projects under a scheme approved by H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh as President of "The Countryside In 1970".
Forests Not Only for Profit
Thirty three economists and forestry experts from 20 European countries and several observers took part in discussions during the 9th session of the European Forestry Commission of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation. Forests are not only for profit, was the theme that emerged from the meeting.
Spanish Forest Fires
Tourist carelessness has become a major source of forest fires in Spain, according to Mr R. De Rade, Assistant Director-General of Spain's Department of Forestry.
Tomorrow's Fresh Woods
An article in the Illustrated London News entitled "Tomorrow's Fresh Woods" is included in The Slasher as it may be of use to Field Staff as general background information.
Liaison Officers Appointed
The Rt. Hon. James Prior, MP, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has appointed the following to be his personal Liaison Officers: Mr F.K. Abbey; Sir Richard Boughey; Mr J. Brocklebank; Lord De Ramsey; Lt. Col. G.W.F. Luttrell; Col. N.V. Stopford Sackville; Lt. Col. Sir Richard Verdin; Mr Stephen Williams; Mr C.E.I. Wynne-Finch.
R.N.L.I. Thanks
Mr Nigel Dixon, Secretary of the Royal National Life-boat Institution sent a letter of thanks to Mr N.W. Tulloch, E & T Officer for Faskally Forester Training School for the donation of £243.8s.2d being the balance of the Forester Training School's Recreation and Welfare Fund.
Special Delivery From Germany
Dr Franz Kloss, President of the German Forestry Society flew to England to present the Fernow Medal to Professor Sir Harry Champion, who was Professor of Forestry at Oxford for 20 years. The Fernow Medal is sponsored jointly by the American Forestry Association and the German Forestry Society, and is awarded annually.
Forestry Commission's Christmas Cards
The production of Forestry Commission Christmas cards, showing a snow scene in the grounds of Alice Holt, has been sponsored by The Sylvatica Sports Club.
Obituary
Mr Thomas E. Dalgleish, who became a life member of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society in 1925 and its first working forester President in 1947, has died aged 68.
New Member for Countryside Commission
Mr Tudor E. Watkins has been appointed to be a member of the Countryside Commission.
Proposed New Forestry Commission Golfing Society
The Forestry Commission Golfing Society is looking for new members.
Join The Club - Wear Your Tie
The Tie Manufacturers' Association has published the results of their recent survey on tie preferences.
Must Be The Welsh Air
According to a report in the Western Mail, the forest trails which were opened in North Wales this summer haven’t tempted motorists to leave their cars. A survey showed the farthest seven out of ten motorists will go from their cars is 40 yards.
Lucky Escapes
A T100 Super Sabre jet fighter plane from the USAF base at Lakenheath crashed into a wood at Brandon Park just 100 yards short of the Forestry Commission office and a cottage where Forester John Ling, East (E), his son and three other people were. The pilot baled out and was picked up unhurt by a helicopter. Small fires started by the crash were soon extinguished.
Another aircraft accident occurred on 11th August at Libanus, near Brecon S (W), when a single-seater Cessna 188, on charter to the Commission for crop-spraying, crashed on take-off. The pilot, 26 year old New Zealander Kevin Roberts, escaped unhurt, but the plane was burnt out. Mr Roberts, an experienced "low flying" pilot had already made forty take-offs from the same field where the accident happened.
The Export Drive
In its first full year of sales, over a quarter of George Ryle's story of the Forestry Commission, "Forest Service" published by David & Charles, went for export.
Counting the Campers
Scottish Women's Rural Institute members have been counting campers and caravanners every evening during the summer to help local planners. A 13 per cent increase has been noted since last summer.
Overheard on a Train
Overheard by a passenger when the train passed a timber merchant's yard "What's all that wood lying about. Nobody uses wood these days".
New Canadian Mill
A new Canadian lumber mill owned by Buckley Forest Industries of Houston, in the North-central region of British Columbia, was officially opened on 13th August by The Hon. W.A.C. Bennett, Premier of British Columbia.
Trada Breakthrough in Timber Use
George Calverley & Sons (Contractors) Ltd. have built 48 maisonettes and 24 two-story houses to Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) designs at Watery Lane, Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire on behalf of Wycombe Rural District Council.
Home-Grown Chips to Boost Output
Enlargements in the pulping capacity of Bowater's Mersey Mill at Ellesmere Port are expected to result in savings of millions of pounds worth of imported pulp.
Animal Feed From The Timber Mill
Canadian government scientists, Dr David Heanay of the Department of Agriculture and Dr Fred Bender of the Department of Fisheries and Forestry have developed a method of turning wood into animal food similar to hay.
Calling All Architects
The Crown Estate Commissioners have agreed to sponsor the "Design a Beef Building for the National Agricultural Centre" again this year.
Book Review
A review of the book "Tree Planting & Cultivation" which was written by Mr H.L. Edlin, the Commission's Publications Officer.
Discovering England's Trees
"Discovering England's Trees" by Miles Hadfield and published by Shire Publications contains many interesting facts. As an example, the London plane trees in Berkeley Square were planted by Lord Berkeley during the year of the French Revolution.
"Going Metric" on Tour
The Polytechnic in Ellison Place, Newcastle will house the Metrication Board's exhibition "Going Metric" in October. From 26th October to 6th November, "Going Metric" will be in Huddersfield.
Bomb Scare in Basingstoke
A bomb hoax at Basingstoke Town's Sports Centre caused HQ staff Dennis Gubby, Ken Folkes and Dennis Boyd to hastily leave the pool during their weekly bathe.
Beekeepers Alerted
Beekeepers appreciated the advanced warning by the Forestry Commission that insecticide would be sprayed by helicopter on 1,500 acres of Scots pine, which had a serious build up of pine looper moth infestation in Wykeham and Langdale Forest near Scarborough.
Full details of the spraying operation are given.
Duke of Northumberland Presents B.E.M.
Mr Harry Earsman, a Senior Ranger with the Commission at Falston Forest, Northumberland, will receive the British Empire Medal from the Duke of Northumberland in Kielder on 9th October 1970.
Eleven New Nature Reserves for Northumberland
Mr G.E. Godwin, Conservator, NE (E), formally handed over the agreements, creating eleven new nature reserves covering 800 acres, to the Chairman of the Northumberland and Durham Naturalists' Trust.
Special Prize for East England Conservancy
East England Conservancy co-operated with the Kingscliffe Secondary School in presenting an exhibit at the East of England Show, with Conservation as the theme.
The exhibit was visited by H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince William of Gloucester. The stand was awarded the Special Prize for "Outstanding merit by reason of originality, educational or instructional value, ingenious construction or other interesting feature".
Operation Clean Sweep
Over 2,000 people collected litter in the New Forest on 29th September 1970 in an end-of-season "Operation Clean Sweep" which netted over 20 tons of litter.
The operation was sponsored by the Hampshire Branch of the British Legion as a "Thank You" gesture to the Forestry Commission which allowed them to use the forest for two sponsored walks. The idea was suggested by Horatio Nelson, a descendent of Admiral Lord Nelson.
Congratulations: Marriages
Congratulations to Mr Tony Joslin, District Officer, Forest of Dean and Mary Bevan on their marriage on 3rd September 1970.
Congratulations to Carolyn Wilson, Glasgow Office, and Mr Fergus McVarish on their marriage on 1st August 1970.
Congratulations to Mr Michael Johnston, Laboratory Mechanic at the Forest Research Station, Alice Holt Lodge, and Miss Ann Davidge, Clerical Officer in the Silviculture Section of Research on their marriage on 5th September 1970.
Retirements
Mr Callum Nicolson, Assistant Senior Officer for Scotland, has retired after 24 years' service with the Commission.
Mr K.H. Taylor, (Ken Taylor), H.E.O. Glasgow Conservancy Office, has retired after joining the Commission on 1951.
Mr John Jackson, Head Forester, Benmore, West Scotland Conservancy, has retired after serving 40 years with the Commission.
Mr N. Morrison, who has been in charge of Glenrichard Forest for 8 years, has retired.
Mr Donald McCullum, Head Forester, Achaglachgach has retired after joining the Commission in 1923.
Mr Jake MacEachern, Foreman, Islay, has retired after starting at Achaglachgach in 1931 as a worker.
Mr Tommy Thompson, has retired after joining the Commission in South Wales 1953 and being in charge of the Llanidloes District in North Wales since 1968.
Record Service with the Forestry Commission
Mr George R. Mackay, BEM, Ganger, Borgie Forest, retired in February 1970 after 50 years' service with the Commission. He joined the Commission in February 1920 as a 15 year old boy and assisted at the first planting at Borgie in the Spring of that year.
North Scotland Institution of Highway Engineers Chairman
The Institution of Highway Engineers has divided its Scottish branch into separate North and South branches. The North of Scotland branch, which covers the counties of Argyll, Perth and Angus, has elected Peter Malcolmson, Conservancy Civil Engineer, North Scotland as its first chairman.
Presentations
Mr Callum Nicolson, Assistant Senior Officer for Scotland, retirement presentation at Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh on 3rd September.
Mr K.H. Taylor, (Ken Taylor), H.E.O. Glasgow Conservancy Office, retirement presentation at the Civil Service Club, Glasgow.
Mr John Jackson, Head Forester, Benmore, West Scotland Conservancy, retirement presentation at a hotel in Strachur.
Mr N. Morrison, Glenrichard Forest, retirement presentation at Kildonan Hotel, Arran on 11th March.
Mr Donald McCullum, Head Forester, Achaglachgach, retirement presentation and ceilidh.
Mr Jake MacEachern, Foreman, Islay, retirement presentation and ceilidh.
Mr Tommy Thompson, Llanidloes District, North Wales, retirement presentation at the Conservancy Office.
Grizedale Propagation Centre Closure
The Grizedale Propagation Centre will be closed in July. Future propagation work will be mainly conducted in the new glasshouse facilities at the Northern Research Station.
Mr Fred Major, the chief propagator, who will retire later this year, was presented with gardening equipment to mark his departure from the Genetics Section.
National Road Safety Driving Awards
Eighteen members of the Commission were presented with National Road Safety Driving Awards by Mr Russell Johnston MP at a ceremony in Inverness. They were: J. Ewen; N.W. Hurst; C. Hannah; W. Pringle; K.C. MacKenzie; W.G. MacDonald; N. MacKinnon; W. Zuckert; J.A. Fraser; W. MacDonald; D. Ewen; F. Wood; R. Ritchie; A. Fraser; J.A. Mackenzie; E.A. MacAulay; A. Smith; E. Broadley.
Agricultural Shows
The Conservancy had stands at the Nairn, Black Isle and Grantown Agricultural Shows. At the Black Isle Show, the Commission won the first prize and the Kenny Maclean Cup for the best individual stand.
Farigaig Forest Exhibition
A permanent forestry exhibition has been opened in a converted cottage at Farigaig Forest on Loch Ness-side.
MCC Beaten by Forestry Team
A report of the Forestry Commission XI's win against the M.C.C. (Moffat Cricket Club!).
Golf in North Wales
The North Wales Conservancy met the North Wales Timber Trade in a golf match at Hawkestone Park Course on 11th September 1970.
Civic Visit to Gwydyr Forest
Forestry Commission Conservator, Mr J.H. James welcomed Councillor Vivian Lewis, Mayor of Bangor; Councillor Ralph Hogan, Deputy Mayor; and Mr Edward Lloyd, Town Clerk to Gwydyr Forest at Betws-y-Coed on 25th September 1970.
Fire Raising
A report on the 1970 Fire season in South Wales.
Planters and Harvesters
Mr Danny Morgan, Chief Forester, Cymmer, South Wales muses on the years spent planting and harvesting since leaving forestry school nearly forty years ago.
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