Frost damage on Sitka spruce in Affric Forest - 1964
The photograph was taken by the late Finlay MacRae who was a District Officer in the Forestry Commission based in Dingwall about this time. The images are courtesy of his daughter Donna.
The phenomenon of frost damage on Sitka spruce is dramatically portrayed in this image by Finlay, It was well known by foresters that Sitka spruce early bud growth was susceptible to late frosts causing a marked slowdown in growth and damage to leading shoots. To this end in areas of land prone to act as frost hollows the use of the species was avoided in favour of the more tolerant Norway spruce. Similarly the more southern and earlier budding southern origin Sitka provenances were avoided in the colder GB regions and elevations in favour of the seed that originated from trees in the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) just south of Alaska.
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Groups: Forestry Areas