Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 333 - February 1988
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research library staff based at Alice Holt, Surry, where some of the original copies are 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 2009.
Sir David Helps to Raise the Roof
Chairman of the Forestry Commission, Sir David Montgomery, joined staff from Environment Branch, Engineering Division and Mid Scotland Conservancy, to watch the lifting of the roof for the ten metre high observation tower, a feature at the Glasgow Garden Festival. The Magical Forest theme, allowing visitors to explore life in the forest, has attracted media attention ahead of the festival opening at the end of April. The next feature to be installed on the Commission’s two acre site will be the Ancient Forester, a 12-foot sculpture currently wintering in Grizedale Forest.
The initial sponsors for the Magical Forest are timber and timber product suppliers James Jones & Sons of Larbert, Thomas Smith of Kirkoswald and Highland Forest Products of Inverness. They have been aided by Crown Decorative Products, Sadolin UK (stain and preservatives), Asset International of Gwent (steel tubing) and Scottish Galvanisers Ltd. Duncan Campbell, head of Environment Branch, has been overseeing the two year long project to create this special forest in the middle of Glasgow’s dockland.
Pictures: A crane lifts the roof onto the observation tower.
Crime Watch in The New Forest Car Parks - Dramatic Fall in Thefts From Cars
The increasing trend of thefts from cars in the FC’s New Forest car parks in 1986 was reduced in 1987, attributed to a newly-formed Crime Prevention Working Party, on which the Commission is represented. In 1986 there were 358 reported thefts compared with 127 in 1987. Contributing factors for the decline are believed to be weather durable Dayglo notices as a reminder of the campaign; Two large garish signs on the roadsides; “Car Park Watch” stickers and leaflets, which included an Incident Report form for suspicious incidents, handed out in car parks and Tourist Information Centres; Press and television coverage of the scheme. The cost of the campaign was shared by the police who paid for 10,000 leaflets, New Forest District Council who supplied the stickers and the Forestry Commission who paid staff overtime and also supplied the large notices.
Public reaction was generally favourable and criminals discouraged. There were some amusing incidents. One BMW owner said he never locked his car as he relied on his car alarm. As he walked away, the alarm went off spontaneously. He returned, collected his cameras and valuable possessions, then carefully locked his vehicle. Another driver locked his doors and left the sun-roof open.
Picture: Ian Summers and a WPC chat to a motorist.
Venture Scout Keith Off to Everest and Martin Too
Keith Paterson, a 17-year old forestry student at Aberfoyle will be taking part in the Sherpa ’88 expedition with other Venture Scouts. It will involve a two-week period of trekking in the Himalayas to get acclimatised, followed by two weeks building and renovating vital schools and hospitals. Keith is doing his two year “practical” before going to Newton Rigg College. Also taking part in the Sherpa ’88 expedition will be Martin Reynard, from Cardrona, Peebles, the son of Bryce Reynard, Silviculture (North), the Assistant District Commissioner for Scouts in Tweeddale.
Picture: Keith Paterson.
Forest Violence
Colin Spillane, the newly appointed Financial Controller has supplied a cartoon from the calendar in his office at HE Welsh Office.
Picture: Cartoon with trees threatening a vandal.
HQ Team Raise Cash on Charity Walk
Staff from HQ took part in the Edinburgh Evening News Charity Walk in September, raising £180. Team “leader” John Henderson said “Despite our intensive training for this 13-mile walk we still managed to finish in 2768th place”. The next adventure for them and others who are being roped in by Ian Glassie is the Bo’ness Round Table Mass Breakout at the end of May to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Appeal for Bone Marrow.
Picture: John Henderson, Pam Leitch, Lesley Smallman, Ian Glassie, Mary Irvine and Gary Duncan.
Are You Any Good at Tracking Down Frogs?
Frogs, toads and newts seem to be declining in most of Britain, so a nationwide project has been initiated to investigate the problem. A nationwide survey is being co-ordinated from Leicester Polytechnic, on behalf of the Nature Conservancy Council and they are requesting information from foresters and volunteer recorders.
Picture: Frog.
Haldon Forest Cannibal was a Sparrow Hawk
Robin Khan, Head Ranger (Conservation), West of England Conservancy, tells about his observations on sparrowhawk cannibalism.
Picture: Sparrowhawk with its brood.
It's Farewell to Fort Augustus
The research base at Inchnacardoch closed on 30th November 1987 after 66 years. Highland forestry owes much of its success to the world famous devoted research work carried out on the Lon Mor (the Big Bog) and the associated experimental areas of Glen Righ, Achnashellach and many smaller moorland sites, which followed Sir John Stirling Maxwell’s pioneering at Corrour. The remaining experiments will be managed from Newton (Moray) and the new research office at Cairnbaan (Argyll). Lairg is now the main northern peatland research base. A history of Fort Augustus and the people who worked there are given in the article.
Picture: FOIII David Tracy locks the front door for the last time. Looking on are John Keenleyside (FOII Newton) and FOIII Allan Green (formerly of Fort Augustus, now at Newton) and Les Webster, last of the local research workers.
Where Each Young Tree is Watered Five Times a Year
Last September, 38 people set off from London for the Institute of Chartered Foresters visit to Russia. Six days were spent in Georgia, a separate republic between the Black and Caspian Seas, in the Caucasus mountains where temperatures approached 30°C. This contrasted with the autumn conditions of Moscow and Leningrad at the beginning and end of the tour when temperatures were just above freezing. Outside Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, the foresters are planting eroded slopes, a difficult task and a complicated system of iron water pipes is laid to enable tree watering, which is five times in the first year, four in the next and so on.
The Leningrad area has 25 million hectares of poorly drained land. Research experiments have shown the benefits of draining and now six million hectares have been treated, but they have found the field results have not lived up to experience. Now they are developing mechanical methods of drain maintenance.
Details of the trip are given with mention of the plantations and also Dendroctonus micans which has been a problem on the local spruce for 20 years. A man called Evans from Alice Holt had visited there in 1986.
Pictures: The soil and terrain.
Forest Trio Help to Save a Life
Three Llanwynno Forest District craftsmen have been commended by South Wales Constabulary for helping to prevent a suicide. On 11th January, Peter Bowden, Roy Davies and John Nicholas were working on the Rhydcar area of Merthyr Tydfil and noticed a person walking away from a parked vehicle. They found the car was in the same position the following day, unlocked, with the keys in the ignition and a woman’s handbag on the passenger seat. They checked the area but were unable to locate the driver, so they took the vehicle to Merthyr Tydfil Police Station. The car had been reported missing from Neath by a man who said his wife was distressed and he was concerned for her safety.
The three foresters returned to the scene with a constable and after a dedicated search, the missing woman was found unconscious and suffering from exposure. She was made comfortable in clothing of the search team and carried some distance over rough ground to a summoned ambulance.
Together Again at Faskally
Members of the 1965-66 course of foresters at Faskally Forester Training School held a reunion in October to mark 20 years since the end of the course at Pitlochry. The party of 15 included wives and former staff Norman Tulloch and James Cramb. They visited Queen’s View Visitor Centre, Craigwoer Hill, Faskally House and a distillery before the evening events, which included a display of old photographs and memorabilia. Plans are afoot to hold the next reunion to mark 25 years since leaving Faskally.
On Target
Thirty one local teams (eight from the Forestry Commission), entered the 1987 Malton Rifle and Pistol Club Business House Cup Knockout Competition. The final was held at Malton on 15th December 1987. The winners ATC Malton: Joanne Harrison 87; Darren Ward 91; John Reynolds 88; Total = 266.
Runners up Forestry Commission York: Debbie Clough 83; Frank Clough 92; Brian Mahony 80; Total = 255. Highest scorer of the competition was Mr A. Sedman 97; Highest lady scorer was Miss J. Harrison 93.
Pipped at the Post
In the N(E) Office staff quiz, North York Moors were again pipped at the post by Conservancy Office who won by eight points. Team members were: - Conservancy Office: Ms D. Clough, Messrs S. Church, I. Hunter and M. Lawrence. North York Moors District: Messrs A.D. Cameron, G.N. Barry, R.J. Hodge and D.J. Cross.
Christmas Lunch at Elliotts
A new theme for the Christmas Lunch held at Elliotts Hotel, York, was fancy dress. Six people took up the challenge whilst the other 40 cheered them on. Robin Hood, well known as a staunch supporter of forestry, joined the fun and captured the first prize, seen in the picture, supported by Maid Marion. Robin and Marion usually evade the sheriff by working in disguise as Gillian Watson and Hazel Moncur in York Conservancy Office.
Picture: Gillian Watson and Hazel Moncur in fancy dress.
What's in a Name
Staff at HQ are accustomed to telephone calls asking to be put in touch with people called Alice Holt and Blair Adam. The latest addition to the list came from a Forest District Office (not to be named). The caller asked to talk to Ian Teebranch. Eventually Ken Murray was able to persuade the caller that Education and Training did indeed answer to the title Ian Teebranch (E&T Branch).
Orienteering
A small contingent of FC staff attended the inaugural Civil Service Championships for Orienteering held at Sutton Park, Birmingham. Top honours for the day went to David Anderson, FO IV, Corris FD with Ian Collier, FO IV, Midlands FD, and Peter Brett, FO III, E&T Branch, 4th and 9th respectively. In the team event, the Forestry Commission were beaten into second place by the Atomic Energy Authority with the narrowest of margins. As one of the FC team was heard to comment “What chance does forestry stand against atomic energy?”
New Head Ranger
Former Gamekeeper Derek Stocker has been appointed Head Ranger (South), and will be based at the Somerset and South Devon Forest District office at Exeter. He replaces Jock Cockburn who retired in November.
Mike Lands a Beauty
Forester Mike Sanderson hooked a 20 lb salmon on a fly 100 yards downstream of Kielder dam, using a trout rod with 10 lb breaking strain cast. A micro tag showed that the fish had been released into the North Tyne four years previously, where it spent two years before heading for the sea, then returning to the same water system.
Picture: Mike Sanderson with his daughter Rebecca and the 20 lb salmon.
Postbag
A letter from John Parker, former Chief Auditor who retired from the Commission in 1974 and moved to Brighton, suggests “Slasher” could include the activities of former FC staff.
Picture: John Parker with some of the damage caused during the October gales, which reached 108 mph in Brighton.
Changes to Your Pension Rights
A summary of the changes to the current rules on pension rights, which remain in force until 5th April 1988.
It's a Winner
The first Forestry Commission / Slasher arts competition has been voted a success and plans are under way to stage a 1988 contest.
Picture: Presentation at the 1987 Forestry Commission / Slasher arts competition.
Ode to Glasgow Garden Festival
The Glasgow Garden Festival has been a major project for the Civil Engineering design team. S.J. Penny of the HQ Engineering Division has written an ode for the two year project, ending with a plea for tickets.
Forestry Commission Clerks of Works at Whinlatter Visitor Centre
A cluster of Forestry Commission Clerks of Works at Whinlatter Visitor Centre in November 1987.
Picture: T.J. Williams, W; A. Welnitwchuk, W; C.F. Yemm, W(E); P.E. Bugg, E(E); R.L. MacLennan, M(S); J. Fraser, N(S); G. Meacham, E(E); L.J. Hewlett, N(S); G. Rattray, N(S); G.A. Caygill, N(E); J. Burton, S(S); D.S. McDonald, M(S); W. Robertson, HQ, EMD; B. Cauwood, N(E); R.T. Batham, N(S); E.E. Coles, M(S); R.H. White, E(E); M.H.F. Bishop, E(E); J.W. Barrett, E(E); A. Whitecross, S(S); W.D. Gordon, HQ, EMD;
J.E. O’Hare, N(E); A.L. Darbyshire, W.
Marriages
Conservancy Office staff Sue Leather, AO in Establishments Section and John Mullett, Paperkeeper, were married recently.
Picture: Sue Leather and John Mullett at their wedding reception.
Carol Hughes, AO at Ruthin Forest District office and Ken Jones, Forest Craftsman, were married at Ruthin Registry Office.
Picture: Newly married Carol Hughes and Ken Jones walk under the archway provided by their colleagues.
Retired
John Roberts, (John Ashley Roberts), Llanrwst, has retired after joining the Commission’s Civil Engineering team based at Llanrwst in 1952, where he worked as a rockman, working most of the northern forests in the old North Wales Conservancy. In 1973 he became a Ranger working the Machno and Lledr beats of the former Gwydyr Forest and joined Forest Management squad five years ago.
Picture: Chris Griffith, District Forester, Llanrwst Forest District presents a Long Service certificate to John Roberts.
Wally Hammond has retired after 39 years’ service, joining the Commission at Kennington Nursery, weeding seed beds with George Holmes. Most of his service was in NE(E) as Forester and Fire Warden and his final 17 years were spent on Forest Surveys.
Alistair Fraser has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission. He attended Benmore Forester Training School and was on exchange at the Dean School for a few months. Service followed in Tummel, Drummond Hill, the Dean and latterly Quantock, in the now Somerset & South Devon Forest District.
Picture: Alistair Fraser and Assistant Conservator Roger Busby.
Alan Rix, Conservator, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission, mostly in Northern England, the last two years as Conservator.
John Byron Howells has retired from the Commission. He worked in the old forests known as Myherin, Crosswood and Hafod (now forming part of the Aberystwyth Forest District), throughout most of his working life. He was promoted to Ganger in the 1950s and was a Ranger for the past 23 years. At his farewell gathering, John recalled his parents and family taking tenancy of the first worker’s holding in Myherin, where there were only six trees on the whole area, these being hardwoods around the home. John became instrumental in planting a large proportion of the six million trees now covering the steep hillsides of Myherin.
Sid Davies, Roads Foreman, has retired after 39 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission in 1948 and worked as a Mobile Plant Operator for 12 years. Since 1960 he has worked firstly as a Dozer Operator and latterly as a Roads Foreman in the Aberystwyth / Newtown Area.
Picture: Denis Atkinson, Tony Summers, Sid Davies, Spencer Davies and Mike Hough (ex Superintendent of Works, now Area Engineer, Dalby).
John Waite, Chief Forester, PW, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission in 1948, working mainly in North Wales and North West England, and moved to Mortimer Forest, where he became Chief Forester before taking on the responsibility for private woodlands.
Jock Cockburn, Head Ranger, W(E), has retired after nearly 20 years’ service with the Commission.
Dennis Pringle, Dalby Workshop, has retired after almost 30 years’ service with the Commission in the North East of England. Most of his years in the district were spent as Mechanic Inspector and in the latter three years, he was based at Dalby Mechanical Engineering Workshop.
Picture: Dennis Pringle.
Bill Trotter has retired after 33 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission in 1955 as a Forest Worker at Glenisla E(S) and moved on to SW(E) in 1958 as a Forester. After spending a few years in W(S) he moved to North Yorkshire in 1973.
Tim Jones, Ganger, Brechfa Forest District, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission at Teifi Forest in 1957.
Aneurin John, Brechfa Forest District, has retired after 28 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission at Llanddowror Forest in 1959.
Ian Barrack, has retired from the Commission. He spent most of his time in the old East Scotland Conservancy in Aberdeen, and more recently in the newly formed Buchan Forest District.
Picture: Ian Barrack with Jackie Sim, Chrystal Morrison, Sheena Thomson and CO Jim Chalmers (dressed as a Pizza delivery girl).
Tecwyn Roberts, Head Forester, has retired after 38 years’ service with the Commission in Wales, without a single day’s sickness. He worked in Brechfa, Llanbed, Mathrafal, Dyfnant, Dyfi, Clocaenog and Cynwyd Forests. Latterly, he had the post of District Forester, PW, in Ruthin Forest District. Recently, Tecwyn had been in charge of Cynwyd Forest and to commemorate his retirement, Forester Cecil Mutch presented him with a “symbolic” Western hemlock. This represented a two hectare stand of P30 Western hemlock which would form part of the long-term retentions in the Forest District and would henceforth be known as “Tec’s Sacred Grove!”
Picture: Tecwyn Roberts at his retirement presentation.
Obituaries
Frank Best OBE, former Conservator, North Wales, has died. Apart from 6 years in SE(E) during the War, he spent over 37 years’ service with the Commission in North Wales, first as a District Officer in the 1930s, then as Conservator for 20 years after the War.
Charlie MacDonald, has died aged 87. He joined the Commission in the 1920s and served in many Highland locations. He ended his career with the Commission as Forester in Charge in his native Skye.
Trevor Studley, has died aged 69. He was appointed Foreman in Charge to start planting at Llanddowror Forest in 1953. He served as Assistant Forester, Forester and Head Forester until his retirement in 1979. His original unit had reached 800 ha in a multitude of valleys by 1971, when it was amalgamated to form Coed Deufor – the wood of the two seas – stretching from Carmarthen Bay to Cardigan Bay.
John Pope, has died aged 79. He joined the Commission at Bristol in 1946 and moved to Aberystwyth as EO, then HEO for 9 years before reverting to CO until his retirement in 1973.
John Howson, former Chief Forester in Charge of Tintern Forest has died aged 64. He had a long association with the old South Wales Conservancy, serving in Brechfa with the late L.T. Edwards, before being posted to the Wye Valley in 1966. He remained there until the restructuring of 1984, when he retired.
D.J. Lloyd (Dai Lloyd), has died aged 78. He worked in the Aberystwyth Directorate, then Conservancy Office for 21 years and as Clerical Assistant in the Estates Registry before retirement in 1974.
Download Large Version (1.2MB)
Groups: Forestry Commission staff magazines