Forest Design on Strathrory part of Ardross Forest
The photograph was taken by the late Finlay MacRae who was a District Officer in the Forestry Commission based in Dingwall at the time. The images are courtesy of his daughter Donna.
A view from the steep hillside above Loch Sheilah looking over to the Struie public road and possibly the first early planting of the Strathrory area on the far side of the road. A forest road has been constructed around the far side of the loch and around to the bottom of the single furrow ploughed steep slope in front of the photographer.
The area between the Loch and the Struie Road has a series of notable geological features from the ice age (drumlins and eskers) and the intention of the foresters was to leave some areas unplanted and highlight the features from the public road. They were perhaps only partially successful in this objective. In later years as the heather grew a bit longer among the young trees, hen harriers moved in and a temporary visitors’ hide was set up close to the Struie Road for a few spring periods to enable visitors to observe the birds.
The area around the photographer’s position was certainly ploughed by Ian Sprunt a local tractor man who stayed in the forestry houses at Morangie near Tain.
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Groups: Forestry Areas