Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 269 - September/October 1971
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.
Forestry Commission Location of Headquarters
Forestry Commission headquarters currently split between London, Basingstoke and Edinburgh is to merge into one location in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh has been chosen for the headquarters because it is more central to the location where commercial interests will increasingly lie.
Show Season
News from this year's shows with congratulations to the South West England Conservancy for winning the Moxon Medal for their log display feature.
Also impressive was the outdoor exhibit at the Royal Welsh Show which has been arranged by District Officer J.H. Currie and Head Forester G.H. McMillan of Brecon Forest.
A list is given of the Winter indoor shows that the Show Unit will attend.
The Black Isle Show
The annual Black Isle Show, held at Muir of Ord is the main show in North Scotland, which attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over Britain.
District Officer F.M. Macrae who has organised the Commission's exhibit said last year's exhibit won first prize and also the Kenny Maclean Memorial Cup for the best trade stand. This year, the same two prizes were won again. Thanks were given to all who help at the Show, especially to Mr George Small and Mr Barry Auld.
2,736 people visited the Forestry Commission tent, exactly 1,000 more than in the previous year.
Wood Moves Ahead Through Research and Development
A brief summary of a report from the Timber Research and Development Association in advances made in evolving new and better uses of wood in building construction.
Examples of experience gained which will influence amendments to building regulations include a scheme of four-storey blocks of maisonettes and two storey houses designed for the Wycombe Rural District Council resulting in an important breakthrough in terms of both costs and building regulations.
Diary of a Camping Volunteer
Mr B.H. Clark of SE (E) Conservancy, who volunteered for duty at a Commission Campsite gives an insight into a day spent managing the campers and campsite.
Commission "Double" in Chain Saw Competition
The National Chain Saw competition was held at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate in mid-July.
Forestry Commission employees won both the Novices and Masters competitions, which had a total of 38 entrants.
The Masters' Competition was won by Mr James Potts of Wark Forest and the Novices' Competition was won by Mr M. Truran of Cropton Forest. In addition, fourth place in the Masters was awarded to Mr J.A. Hutchinson of Wark Forest and ninth and tenth places to Mr Joseph Potts of Wark Forest and Mr S.V. James of Cropton Forest.
Mr D.A. Sharp (son of Mr Alick Sharp, recently retired Forestry Commission Head Forester), was placed second to Mr Potts.
Three Sharp brothers and three Potts brothers competed in the Masters' Competition.
Official Forest Fires to Honour Sir Walter
On 14th August, beacons were lit from Edinburgh Castle to the Borders, commemorating the bi-centenary of the birth of Scots poet and novelist Sir Walter Scott. The Commission's beacons were on Minchmuir and on Craik.
Lord Polwarth sent a letter of appreciation to the Commission's Chairman and quoted from Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel":
And soon a score of fires, I ween
From height, and hill, and cliff, were seen;
Each with warlike tidings fraught,
Each from each the signal caught.
Reflections on the Weather
Chief Forester Jack Jennings, Crychan Forest, Wales, has some interesting observations on the weather due to living 900 feet above sea level on the edge of a range of mountains in Breconshire.
He has no need of a television long range forecast from the top of the Air Ministry roof or a barometer to advise on what weather is in store for the area. He says they glance at the telephone wires. If the wires are dry, then rain is imminent. If large drops of water are hanging stationary on the cables, then it has stopped for a few minutes. If the drops are sailing merrily along the lines, then it's still chucking it down.
Do people in Dorset or East Anglia have any idea what life is like in one of these spots, marked in purple on the map, where drops of water as large as prize radishes fly into your face horizontally instead of falling onto your head? Where 80 inches of rain falls annually and where no one ventures more than 50 yards without an oilskin.
The farmers bail their hay wearing sou'westers and sheer their sheep in thigh boots. Even the ducks and snipe suffer from rheumatism!
"Then there's the wife trying to dry her washing. She has a clothes line attached to a pulley on the lawn and runs that line up and down like a naval signaller at the Battle of Jutland. It's good for developing the biceps".
He has planned his crops for the next year, half the area under water cress and the remainder under rice.
Poem: A Matter of Values by Jack Jennings
Economists armed to the teeth with forms
That spell out variances, standard times and norms
Proved to the fiscal world in terms of cost
The forests as we grow them make a loss.
But F.C. 33s and 35s
Should not dictate our sylvicultural lives;
The beauty of a woodland valley's looks
Cannot be found in the accountant's books.
Computed figures surely must be wrong
That give no credit to a linnet's song.
The Wonders of Our Technological Age
The following letter was recently received by SE (E): -
"We apologise that our computer has made yet another nonsense of our August 1971 statement of account. If you have already received our August statement, please destroy the statement first received, and substitute the enclosed statement as the amended account August 1971".
Clyde Education Excursion
On 18th September 1971, Glasgow Corporation Education Department on behalf of the Glasgow Geography Panel chartered the Queen Mary II for an educational cruise down the Clyde.
The passenger list included 600 senior geography pupils in the care of 60 teachers, 200 newly recruited geography teachers, 50 overseas geography teachers, 15 guests and 36 commentators.
Many subjects were covered by the commentators and the commentary was linked by the author and broadcaster Mr Jack House.
The forestry commentary was given by Mr Tom Robbie, Assistant Conservator, W (S), who was invited to the bridge on three separate occasions to talk on forestry.
During his commentary, when the ship was between Toward and Innellan, Tom Robbie was interrupted by a radio message from Rothesay Pier master to say that two girls had missed the boat when they went to have "Fish and Chips" ashore.
Resignation
Mr W. Watt (Bill Watt), Head Forester formerly in charge of Strathmore Forest has resigned to take up an appointment with a firm of Forestry Consultants.
Retirements
Mr N. Randall Hepburn, Head Forester, Braes of Angus retired on 24th June after joining the Commission in 1925 as a Forest Worker in Morayshire.
Mr R.M. Edward (Bert Edward), Head Forester, Garcrogo, Bennan Forest retired in June after 28 years with the Commission.
Mr Harold E. Herbert, Blacksmith retired on 22nd August after 32 years service with the South Wales Conservancy.
Presentations
Mr N. Randall Hepburn, Head Forester, Braes of Angus, retirement presentation.
Mr Bert Edward, Head Forester, Garcrogo, Bennan Forest retirement presentation.
Mr Harold Herbert, Blacksmith, retirement presentation on 12th August at the Eastgate Hotel, Cowbridge.
Obituaries
Mr Douglas Cox who worked in the Deputy Surveyor's Office, Dean has died aged 46 years.
Mr Joseph Hendray Huntley (Joe Huntley), District Officer I at the West Perthshire district office in Stirling died in a drowning accident on 7th September at Dunbar after diving from the fishing vessel Norwood.
Polecats
An article from Mr J.S.R. Chard, Conservator NW (E) on polecats, members of the badger family. Details of the Commission's co-operation in a scheme to save the polecat population from extinction.
Mr Eddie Hallam, Curator of the Riber Castle Wildlife Park in Derbyshire released some pairs at Grizedale in the Lake District.
Hunting Heads
An article in The Field 19th August, dealing with the judging of deer heads for the World Exhibition of Hunting in Budapest, the Commission's conservation Head Forester, Mr F.A. Courtier, is credited with the best "Head" from the West Country, which was assessed at 187.44 units.
Pressmennan Forest Trail
The Pressmennan Forest Trail at Stenton Forest, East Lothian, South Scotland, was formally opened on 30th August 1971.
Mr J.E. James, Senior Officer for Scotland and Conservator S (S), welcomed the visitors and introduced Forestry Commissioner Sir William Strang Steel, who performed the opening ceremony and planted an oak sapling to mark the occasion.
Details are given of the attractions of Pressmennan, famous for its oak woods, and the representatives of the wide range of interests were among the many visitors present.
Llandovery Scouts in Japan
Mr Peter Charlesworth, Forester, Crychan, South Wales and leader of the 1st Llandovery Scouts described the flooding at the World Jamboree campsite at Asgiri Heights, Japan in August 1971.
The scouts and their leaders spent a night sleeping on the floor of a nearby temple, and then moved on to an old people's home where there was plenty of food for them.
They were impressed by the Japanese hospitality and the operational arrangements for getting them out during the storm.
Gladiolus Winner
Pat March, Research Forester (Ecology) was awarded the Foremarke Cup, presented by the Royal Horticultural Society at their annual Gladiolus Show in London during August.
Pat won the Open Class (12 different cultivars), and three other First prizes. Some of his blooms were flown to Toronto immediately after the Show for entry into the Gladiolus World Fair.
Paper Mill Tour
Mr M. Abrahams, Northern Research Station, reports on his tour of the Valleyfield paper mills of Alex Cowan & Sons Ltd., Penicuik, with Mr John Droukalis, a Greek Forest Officer, who spent six weeks at the Station.
The firm, which has been making paper since 1779, employs 750 people and is one of Penicuik's main employers.
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