Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 420 - August 2009
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.
New Code to Clean Up Forest Carbon Projects
The UK forestry sector, led by the Forestry Commission, is developing a Code of Practice for tree planting projects, to ensure their contributions will reduce the impact on climate change.
The aim of the "Code of good practice for forestry carbon projects" is to build confidence in forestry carbon projects - often sold as carbon offsetting schemes - and to ensure projects in the UK will actually delivery new areas of forest and woodland.
The key features of the code will be to: ensure clarity and accountability; demonstrate that the carbon benefits provided are additional; maintain sustainable forest management practises; minimise the bureaucracy for participants; align itself with international offsetting standards and complement wider government policies on emissions, reductions and carbon trading.
The code will link with the UK Forestry Standard, which sets out the UK approach to sustainable woodland management.
UK Low Carbon Transition Plan
The Government has announced plans to create 150,000 hectares of new woodland in England over the next 15 years, as part of its UK Low Carbon Transition Plan.
Family Carbon Production
An average family of four, living in a three-bed semi detached house and running two cars could produce more than 16 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Royal Stamp of Approval
Regional Director Steve Scott joined H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh at the formal opening of the University of Cambridge's 800 Wood at Madingley in April. The wood was created as an extension to existing woodlands as part of the ancient seat of learning's 800th anniversary celebrations.
Prince Philip planted an oak tree to inaugurate the new wood, which was supported by a grant from the Forestry Commission.
Steve Scott also helped to host a visit from Huw Irranca-Davies, the Minister for Marine and Natural Environment at Thetford Forest E (E). Forest Management Director Jim Lyon joined the group during a guided tour of Thetford's High Lodge Forest Centre.
The Modfather
Paul Weller went on stage at High Lodge, Thetford in June 2009 as part of his Live Music tour. High Lodge FM, a dedicated radio station for the Thetford concerts, started broadcasting this year.
While Danes Go Ape
Danish visitors from Danish Forest and Nature Agency, on a forest recreation fact-finding mission were treated to a hair-raising experience on the Go Ape high-wire adventure course at Haldon Forest Park in the Devon Forest. Tim Powles, Outreach Ranger at Haldon Forest Park said it is great to give advice to forestry staff from overseas, who are looking to diversify their woodlands.
Schools Plant Seeds of the Future
Schoolchildren throughout the UK are helping to plant one million trees, through Seeds for Schools, a campaign run by the News of the World and supported by the Forestry Commission.
Roving Commission
Plant hunter Dan Luscombe, Assistant Curator of the Bedgebury National Pinetum, has just returned from spending three weeks in Tasmania, with colleagues from the Millenium Seedbank, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Despite extreme weather conditions, his team collected more than 100 different species from the island.
Woodland Officer Rachel Sparks, based in Teesdale, Weardale and the Tees Valley, is following in the footsteps of Charles Darwin during an expedition to the Equator. She will spend eight weeks in the Galapagos, helping to restore the islands' native woods.
District Forester Giles Brockman, based at Santon Downham was invited to Croatia to speak on the subject of the recreational use of forests. The session was organised by Europarc Consulting, who are specialists in the management of protected areas. Giles believes the trip will also be a learning experience for him.
Forestry and Farming Can Be Complementary
Richard Williamson from HR came across a cutting from The Scotsman dated 16th July 1976, which announced a new Chairman for the Commission - John Mackie, a former Labour MP. The title of the main part of the article was "Forestry and farming can be complementary". The article mentioned the enormous potential for expansion of forestry in Scotland. Also experimenting with different tree species, increased production, new planting and felling techniques and "machines which can chip wood in the actual forest".
Obituary
Mrs Sally Thomas, Office Manager at North York Moors died on 28th April aged 44. She joined the Commission in 1985 at Forest Research, Wykeham, North Yorkshire, transferred to the Estates team in the former York Regional Office in 1987, then to North York Moors in 1995 as an Admin Officer, until she became the Office Manager in 2005.
World Class Course Draws Biking Greats
The World Mountain Bike Championships will roll into Dalby Forest, Yorkshire in 2010.
Alan Eves, local Forest Management Director and keen mountain biker has checked the championship course.
Who Needs Friends?
Volunteers from The Friends of Chopwell Wood have been looking after this popular wood near Gateshead, and have also opened up the forest experience to new user groups. The local Deaf Community now plays an active role in the Friends' work.
Friends' member Carole Fountain, who uses British Sign Language, started involving the deaf volunteers three years ago.
Deaf volunteer Terry Wilson loves working in Chopwell and has volunteered for a range of conservation tasks.
Leanne Shipley, Chopwell's Recreation and Community Ranger said the Friends are an energetic band of volunteers, who raise vital funds and work hard to protect and promote the woodland.
The Strongest Link
Llandovery-based Welsh Education Officer, Hannah Mitchell, appeared on Anne Robinson's television programme "The Weakest Link" and proved to be the Strongest Link, winning the prize of £2,440. Commission colleagues, family and friends all tuned in to watch the programme on 20th April.
Looking After The Littl'uns
12 million Scots pine, alder and silver birch seeds were sent out in April as part of Seeds for Schools and if nurtured properly, five million could grow to trees - equal to 10,000 acres of forest. The campaign was made possible by the help of the Commission's extensive seed store at Alice Holt.
Delamere Nursery, Cheshire: Nursery manager Peter Everitt, who also oversees Wykeham Nursery, is supported by Richard Parsons, production manager, operations managers Lynn O'Connor and Colin Gregory, and nursery supervisors Graham Ball, Ian Garner and Jadwiga Gwizdek. They are further supported by administration officer Janet Davidson, with back-up from Michelle Watson and Rachel Richards. There are around 45 permanent front-line staff as well as up to 40 seasonal workers in any given year.
Wykeham Nursery, North Yorkshire Moors: Operations manager Graham Hunter is supported by 10 highly-skilled front-line staff with extensive experience in operating tractors and other agricultural machinery. It grows up to eight million seedlings a year to supply the north of England and south of Scotland. The nursery employs the services of a labour contractor to supply its seasonal workers instead of recruiting them directly.
Newton Nursery, Moray, Scotland: Nursery manager Alan Duncan and operations manager Peter Forsyth are supported by 18 experienced, permanent front-line staff and up to 10 seasonal workers each year.
Newton is the only Forestry Commission nursery in Scotland and the team takes pride in the fact that the nursery has been successfully producing trees for more than 75 years. It grows up to six million seedlings a year to supply to the north of Scotland.
Alice Holt Nursery: Seed officer Corinne Baker is supported by two seed technicians, David Payne and Naledi Nickerson. David was heavily involved in preparing the seed stock to supply to the News of the World Seeds for Schools project.
Edinburgh Nursery: John Morgan is head of plant and seed supply, reporting to Stirling-based Michael Ansell, who is director of the four Forestry Commission business units, comprising mechanical engineers, civil engineers, plant and seed supply and renewable energy.
FCTU Diary
Allan Mackenzie, FCTU Secretary, gives details of the FCTU, which comprises of five unions: GMB, UNITE, PCS, Prospect and the FDA. The FCTU collectively represents all union members in the Forestry Commission.
A Bridge Going Far?
A picture of cyclists crossing the new Lewisburn bridge at Kielder Water, which has been nominated for at least three of this year's British Construction Industry Awards. Forestry Civil Engineering, who designed the bridge, has also just tested and opened a spectacular 7 metre cantilever bridge at Plodda Falls - the first of its kind.
Word Spreads Like Wildfire
New Forest staff played a key role in the recent Wildfire 2009 conference. The event, held at Lyndhurst Park Hotel in the heart of the New Forest, explored the latest developments in the field and included a wide variety of conference sessions, workshops and demonstrations, all promoting the theme of partnership working. Delegates included foresters, countryside managers and fire service personnel. Community ranger Sandy Phillips led a special session on arson and wildfire.
Wales Fights to Stop the Spread
Staff in south Wales are handing over the dangerous task of firefighting to the experts. Traditionally, forest staff worked alongside firefighters to try to put out the fires, most of which are started deliberately and place a huge strain on FC Wales resources. But it was felt that leaving the job to the Fire and Rescue Service will be a more efficient approach to tackling the flames. Dai Jones, District Manager in south Wales, said, “Each year, deliberately started forest fires cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds and put the lives of our staff and other forest users at risk. They also do untold damage to the beauty of the south Wales landscape, which we work so hard to preserve."
Braving the Elements
A Moonwalk in Edinburgh raised almost £5,000 for Cancer Research. Taking part were Pamela Brown; Libby Jones; Sally York; Brent Meakin; Carol Finlayson; Sheila Leckie; Susan Finlayson and the group pictured are Morag McGeachy; Cassie; Mairi McGeachy; Jacquie Edwards; Sandra Corcoran; Katy Freeman and Trish Roberts.
The Future's Bright - The Future's Green
Tim Rollinson, Director General, discusses the Government's Low Carbon Transition Plan and the Commission's framework to make it happen.
Pamela Ness Interview
An interview with Pamela Ness, Analyst Programmer, Information Systems, who talks about her mobility problems due to spina bifida occulta.
Beavers are Back
After four centuries’ absence, the beaver has been brought back to the Scottish countryside. The trial project marks the first formal reintroduction of a native mammal in the UK, and has been masterminded by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), and the Forestry Commission.
Beaver families taken from the wild in Norway were released into carefully selected lochs in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll at the end of May. Alan Stevenson, the Forestry Commission’s head of communities, recreation and tourism believes it is the ideal location because Knapdale Forest covers a range of important habitats and biodiversity. He said, “Very importantly, the area is also in the heart of a forest producing timber and providing recreational facilities for people. It will be a good testing ground for the trial. The project is running for a number of years. In time, when the beavers have settled in, we should see positive spin-offs for the local community in terms of green tourism.” Experts will keep a close eye on Knapdale’s new residents over the next five years, assessing the long-term prospects for beavers in Scotland. Details of the Scottish Beaver Trial are at www.scottishbeavers.org.uk
Glimpse Into the Past
Archive footage of forestry more than forty years ago has been brought back onto the screen. Long-serving Welsh Forestry Commission worker Brian Jones appeared in the film "Down in the Forest" as a young student in the early 1960s. But Brian - who enjoyed a 45-year career before retiring six years ago - never saw the eight-minute newsreel when it was shown to cinema audiences across the country in the 1960s.
But now, thanks to a little detective work by Brian’s son Michael, the long-lost documentary, which was part of the Rank Organisation's "Look at Life" series, has been unearthed.
Brian explained: "I'd always wondered what became of the film and could hardly believe it when my son told me he'd traced the newsreel to an old film archive somewhere in the south of England."
Michael even managed to have the 35mm original converted to DVD, and Brian is keen to let others enjoy this fascinating glimpse of some of the people and practices that helped shape the Welsh countryside.
"Down in the Forest" features a young Brian fencing out sheep from newly planted areas in Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Corris and Gwydyr. Foresters are seen hand felling trees with axes and using a 'tree bicycle' to climb into the canopy of larch trees, and there’s footage of one of the forest villages created by the Commission for its employees.
Loyal Service Rewarded
Veteran forest craftsmen John Durrant, Rodney Brock and Len Martin were special guests at the Devon County Show in May where they celebrated more than 130 years of service between them. Each received Devon County Agricultural Association Long Service Awards. John Durrant from Holsworthy, with 49 years' service joined the Commission in 1962. Rodney Brock joined in 1965 and Len Martin joined in 1964. Martin Webb, Area Forester for west Devon, paid tribute to the long-serving foresters.
Picture of Rodney Brock, John Durrant and Len Martin.
Elsewhere in the show, the Commission picked up an award for its management of Lydford Forest in west Devon.
The Art of the Forest
A picture of forest art showing a felled tree.
Competition Time
Competition Winner Amanda Campbell from Silvan House correctly found all four slashers in a picture. This month's picture has ten hidden Thermos flasks.
Blast From the Past
A blast from the past takes us back to the mid 1970s with this photograph of staff from south west England, pictured with Dame Sylvia Crowe, the well known landscape architect. Thanks to Paul Tabbush of Forest Research, who remembered the photograph being taken around October 1975 at Halsway Manor, West Somerset. He was able to put some names to faces. They are David Langford; Mike Dunne; Alan Dunning; Stan Forrester; Geoff Hayward; Jack Massey; Tony Joslin; Bernard ?; Dame Sylvia Crowe; Les Troupe; John Aldous; Gordon Derrick.