Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 349 - November 1990
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 and assisted by staff at Forest Research, Roslin. Brian Mahony has been instrumental in locating many missing editions and continues the searches to locate all the earlier publication numbers.
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 420 issues or publications were produced between January 1948 and the final issue in 2009. To read the full edition please see the PDF link below this text.
Sally's Boar is Show-Stopper
From the 12th to 16th November 1990, Peers and MPs viewed the Wild Boar of Grizedale sculpture at the British Forestry exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall in Westminster, The exhibition, was mounted by the Forestry Commission and the Forestry Industry Committee of Great Britain at the request of the joint chairmen of the Parliamentary Forestry Group, Mr Bill Benyon, MP, and Lord John-Mackie.
Britain’s politicians had been invited to attend and FC representatives were on hand at the Commons to explain the role of forestry, FC activities, and to dispel some misunderstandings and present the facts of how the industry can help to improve the environment and provide employment throughout Britain.
The wild boar sculpture, designed and made out of mud and sticks by one of the Grizedale Society’s resident sculptors Sally Matthews, was an unparalleled success.
Prior to the London exhibition, the boar was exhibited on the fourth-floor at HQ in Edinburgh. Staff and visitors were asked their opinion of the sculpture. Among the comments were: Brilliant; absolutely splendid; we should breed more of them; realistic; can I have it for my flat?; phenomenal.
In Westminster, all visitors were given copies of the Forestry Commission publication “Why Grow Trees”, and a special fact sheet. “British Forestry” was designed to increase awareness and knowledge about the multiple benefits of forests, the way they are planted and managed and to show that there are multiple uses of British forests. It concentrated on the economic, environmental and recreation benefits of forestry; featured the developing policies on location, design, and conservation management; and a strong message on timber output tied in with the FICGB’s display on downstream uses.
The wild boar sculpture and the exhibition will tour the country to promote FC aims and ideals. The message was also spread at Glenmore Forest Park when Lord Strathclyde, Minister responsible for forestry at the Scottish Office, launched the publication “Scotland’s Forest Heritage.”
In a foreword to the book, Lord Strathclyde writes: “The people who care for the forests of Scotland are privileged to enjoy the many, almost secret, places which the forest can create, but this book opens the door to many marvellous experiences for the visitor.”
The book published by HMSO, shows how Scotland’s forests are not only one of the country’s major landscape features, and one of its primary industries, but are alive with wildlife. It also describes how, over the centuries, the forest has had, and still has, a major influence in the developing culture and heritage of Scotland.
In prehistoric times the Great Caledonian Forest of pine, birch and juniper stretched across the Highlands of Scotland. About 6,000 years ago, man began clearing the forests to provide pasture for his animals and fields for his crops, and by the time of the Roman invasion, half of the trees had gone.
From more recent times the visitor can see the effects of the re-establishment of the forests by major landowners, whose vision took in the turreted castle, the noble rivers, and the heather-clad mountains to which they added trees for landscape beauty, amenity, sport and shelter.
Pictures: (1) The Tusked Terror sculpture with Lord John-Mackie; Sir Marcus Worsley, former President of the Royal Forestry Society of England, Wales & Northern Ireland, who opened the exhibition; and Forestry Commission Chairman Raymond Johnstone. (2) The Tusked Terror wild boar sculpture.
Picture: Lord Strathclyde with Robin Cutler at the Glenmore Park. They are being shown an artificial nest for merlins by Conservation Ranger Mick Canham.
General’s Thanks
General Officer Commanding Scotland, Lieutenant-General Sir John MacMillan, visited FC Headquarters in November to say “Thank You” to the Forestry Commission. He presented a certificate to Director General Robin Cutler in recognition of the Commission’s support for the Volunteer and Reserve Forces, which involves giving paid leave to staff for training when they join.
Two FC staff who have briefly experienced Army life are Ewan Cameron and Nick Waldron, both EOs from Private Woodlands at HQ. When they heard of an Edinburgh TA “Executive Stretch” exercise, they decided to join in. They were in for a few surprises with an open-ended tent for accommodation overnight in the Pentlands, with temperatures below freezing. Emphasis in the action-packed weekend was on teamwork, and Ewan and Nick did well, with their teams finishing second and fourth respectively.
Pictures: (1) Lieutenant-General Sir John MacMillan and Robin Cutler. (2) Nick Waldron and Ewan Cameron.
Binding Plan for Access After Sales
Responsibility for the continuation of public access to land disposed of by the FC should rest with local authorities, says Malcolm Rifkind, the former Scottish Secretary and lead Minister of forestry affairs, now the Transport Minister. He said it would not be appropriate to proceed on the problem of access after sale by new legislation since that could not be framed in a sufficiently flexible way to cover the differing circumstances affecting woodlands throughout Britain.
The option of imposing access conditions on sale was also ruled out on legal advice. He said: “Instead we have decided that the best way forward will be for the Government to ask the Forestry Commission to give advance notice to local authorities of intended disposals of woodlands, and to offer to enter into legal agreements with them, which will provide for continued public access to the woodlands. “Such agreements will be compatible with the management of the woodlands for forestry and other purposes and will be binding on subsequent owners. It will, of course, be up to individual local authorities to decide whether they wish to enter into an agreement with the Commission for any particular woodland prior to sale. We intend that the new arrangements will be introduced as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Commission will defer the sale of woodlands which are particularly sensitive in relation to public access. By taking this initiative, we are demonstrating the Government’s firm commitment to improving public access to the countryside.’’
Some Catch!
Wales is claiming their trout are even bigger than some Scottish salmon. Steve Hunt FOIII (Private Woodlands) of South East Wales FD, caught a brown trout weighing 18lb 13 ounces, just 11 ounces short of the British record for this species but, the largest ever caught on a fly rod, and 4lb heavier than the present Welsh record. The fish, caught at the small Wentwood Reservoir and believed to be at least 12 years old, has been sent for mounting. Steve Hunt said he and his boat partner were fishing near the dam wall. He used a 4lb breaking strain line and a small, pink fly. A searing battle followed, and the trout was eventually steered into the net after a fight lasting 2 hours 20 minutes.”
Picture: Steve Hunt with his prize catch of an 18lb 13ozs brown trout.
Hat-Trick
Congratulations to Lochaber FD’s David Whittaker, Harvesting/Conservation Forester, who took the top three prizes in Lochaber Camera Club's ''Nature Slides" competition. It was his third successive win.
Some Silver!
Lorne employees, John Grieve, FOIII, and Duncan Gillies, Forest Craftsman H&M, won five cups and 50 prizes between them at Argyll and the Isles premier flower show in Oban. Duncan went on to win a further nine cups and 55 prizes at the Taynuilt and Dalmally shows, culminating in third place for his cauliflowers at the National Vegetable Society Show in the Glasgow People’s Palace.
Picture: John Grieve and Duncan Gillies with their prizes.
TUS Diary - Time for an Offensive
In his TUS Diary, Kenny Murray congratulates the Forestry Commission Drawing Offices for their recent awards for design work! He believes the efforts that have gone into promoting the Commission by staff throughout the organisation have undoubtedly improved the FC’s image in the past few years.
Kenny says the Commission has endured sustained misinformed attacks for a considerable period, but thanks to the efforts of Public Information Division, in particular, the message has been getting through. External pressures have influenced decisions and as a public service the FC has a duty to listen to comment from “customers” and react accordingly. This means either correcting misinformation or adopting good, sound ideas. Despite the valiant efforts of PID and “sharp-end” staff, the Commission is still seen as an unfriendly and secretive organisation. A view that is peddled by the powerful environmental lobby and is one which must be put right. Their view has been adopted by the media and it seems sensible to increase our work in the public relations section. The first target must be Rupert the Bear comic strip in the Daily Express Newspaper. Rupert was in the clutches of the ‘Pine Ogre’, and is anti conifer forestry. PID have been alerted and a ‘contract’ on Rupert is being considered!
He criticises the contents of the Whitley Council departmental minutes for the omission of a statement by Director Personnel and also comments on the FC’s sell-off policy of forestry land and public access to privatised land.
Edinburgh Retirement Association
There was an unexpected meeting for Edinburgh HQ Retirement Association branch members when they visited the Royal Botanic Garden. They met up with Bill MacDonald, who was forester at Drumtochty before leaving for Kenya in 1954 to join the Kenyan Forest Service. Bill and his wife were in Scotland on holiday, and are now back in South Africa. Nancy MacKenzie voices the wishes of all HQ members when she sends greetings to the exiles . . . “Haste ye back," she says.
Six of the Best
Six staff members from York Conservancy office and North York Moors FD proved their worth in a Krypton Factor event near Pickering, North Yorks, by coming a very creditable second against many Humberside firms. They were John Harrison, Clerk of Works, who was team captain; Phil Morton, Forester FM; Iwan Dawney, a student Forester from Bangor; Sally Woodcock, Estates Section; Chris Stevens, NYM FD; and Janice Campbell, Dalby Mech. Workshops. They raised £163 to help disabled sportsmen - a fair slice of the £1,000 raised for the charity.
Picture: John Harrison; Phil Morton; Iwan Dawney; Sally Woodcock; Chris Stevens; Janice Campbell.
On Contract!
When told that the new Director General was to be a New Zealander on a five-year contract, a group of Welsh forest workers commented that they were pleased to note that contract working was being introduced at the top and not just at Forest Worker level!
Hear, Hear!
Bob and Susan Fordham, Glencoe campsite wardens for five years, are spending some of their quiet winter months raising cash for a revolutionary new hearing aid, a cochlear implant which can restore hearing to profoundly deaf patients. Each implant costs about £12,000.
A consultant surgeon at Bradford Royal Infirmary has set up The Ear Trust and launched an appeal for £500,000 to help fund these ‘bionic ear' operations. Susan Fordham is helping because a friend in Wakefield needs the operation.
Time Please
Alastair Howden has clocked on to an innovative way of turning time into money. An enormous alarm clock was donated to West Argyll Engineers by a cleaning material firm and Alastair decided to raffle it for Cancer Research. The clock is ‘doing the rounds' at Lochgilphead, Oban and Kilmun offices as well as Cairnbaan and Glenbranter Workshops. The raffle will be drawn in December.
Picture: Alastair Howden.
Postbag
Never too late to learn: A letter from Stephen Penny of Newton Stewart, who believes that now the Forestry Commission is embarking on new computerised systems, it is time to produce a clear and simple document for managers who would like an explanation of a computerised system, without recourse to “buzz-words" and jargon. He says many systems, such as the DSS (Decision Support Systems) rely on combining the decision-making skills of, for example, the senior manager, with the speed, access to data, and computational power of the computer, in a way which improves the effectiveness of management decisions. Computers are tools with tremendous proven potential as management tools. No-one is too old to learn, you may just need a better teacher!
Oops!: In an ironic letter, Rick Hayes, DF, FM&E, Aberfoyle FD, complains about sexist attitudes resulting in Val Shipp being referred to as “he” just because she collects rusty old machinery. He says this outrageous stereotyping does nothing to combat the errant extremes of the thankfully declining feminist movement. He also objects to his dear friend Tony Ward being named in an article entitled “Any old relics”.
Drop a line to Bill: Bill Short of Morecambe, Lancs would like to hear from anyone who worked with him before his retirement in 1984 after 35 years at Grizedale.
All in Good Nick
Britain’s trees have generally survived the summer’s drought conditions and have either improved slightly or remained stable, according to the results of the main Forest Health Survey for 1990.
Oak trees and the main softwood species, Sitka spruce, have both improved in condition over the past year and the other conifer species surveyed, Scots pine and Norway spruce, show little change in their condition. Only beech, particularly susceptible to drought conditions, shows evidence of any decline.
Dr John Innes, author of the report, said: “Our analyses indicate that the type of defoliation observed in Britain differs markedly from the type of defoliation reported from areas in Central Europe and we have very few trees in Britain in a really serious condition.
Any Logo Ideas?
An appeal for a logo for the Staff Suggestions Scheme.
Girl Guides to the Rescue
Tin baths, cake plates, pieces of saddle, and even tackitty boots are just some of the haul collected by the Girl Guides of Portmoak, when they helped to clean up a popular Fife woodland walk in Portmoak Moss, Abertay FD. District Forester Steve Cooper and Craftsman Kenny Jones were full of praise for the team of six girls, aged between 11 and 13.
Ties with the Past
Following recent references to the Forestry Commission tie, as worn by the Scottish Secretary, Jack Chard has written a history of the tie: -
A tie to be proud of. It’s twin colours are those of the official flag, inherited from the former Office of Woods when management of the remaining Crown Forests was transferred to the Commission in 1924. That office, with the appointment of a Surveyor General and his several Deputies, was set up in the time of Henry VIII under the 1543 Statute of Woods, enacted to sustain the supply of timber trees — oak, ash, beech and elm — in the face of widespread encoppicement.
Lincoln or Linden green, the colour of the heart-shaped leaf of small-leaved lime, and ’rudd’ or red, the colour of a hart or master stag, made up the livery of a Tudor forester and symbolised his dual duty to conserve vert and venison.
They served as camouflage and were changed twice a year, from a green jerkin over a red doublet on the 1st May to a red jerkin over a green doublet on the 1st November. Until imaginative artists progressively altered it, this was the garb traditionally associated with Robin Hood, and after historical research, it was adopted to dress the present-day performers of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. Their Peak Forest reindeer trophies have been radio-carbon dated to just after the Norman Conquest.
The Commission's first HQ was in Savile Row and the first version of the tie, in pure silk and specially designed by the Commissioners themselves, could be obtained only from an exclusive establishment nearby.
Fifty-five years ago, on a probationer DO’s salary of £250 a year and with the usual student loan to be repaid, it was some time before I could afford one. I still have it and was able to lend it to help with the posthumous painting of Sir Francis Acland, our first Chairman.
Picture on Page 1: The Forestry Commission tie.
TGUK Chief Talks of Challenge. Good Future - Let's Enjoy it
Ronnie Williams, Chief Executive of Timber Growers UK, who has worked closely with the Forestry Commission for the past ten years, believes that “no other productive land-use alternative offers so many potential economic, social and environmental benefits.” He leaves TGUK in January to become Director of the Forestry Industry Committee of Great Britain.
His previous job had been in the Diplomatic Service as the UK representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, where work on the World Conservation Strategy, problems of deforestation and desertification and concern about the exploitation of the world’s resources had given him the impression that planting trees had to be a good thing. To someone who had seen the results of forest destruction, the objectives of the UK forestry policy in terms of resource and wealth creation seemed immensely sound and worthwhile.
Picture: Ronnie Williams.
Launch Days - New Parks Opened
Michael Griffith, Chairman designate of the Countryside Council for Wales, opened the Forest Park at Coed y Brenin. Situated among the Meirionnydd Hills in the southern part of Snowdonia, Coed y Brenin is one of the oldest and most extensive of the Forestry Commission’s forests in North Wales. The Forest Park includes a Visitor Centre with a tearoom and exhibition, a children’s adventure play area and a sign-engraving workshop. Visitors can watch signs being produced from locally grown Douglas fir and native hardwoods. A copper mine within the park employed 160 people in its heyday. It closed in 1914, but remains of the mill can be seen on the slopes above the Afon Las. There are also relics of gold extraction works. The Forest Garden includes a collection of 110 species of trees from all over the world and part of the park has been designated a Forest Nature Reserve. Conservator John Morgan said public access has always been encouraged and Coed y Brenin demonstrates that a wide range of activities can be enjoyed by the general public that are compatible with the forest environment.
Pictures: (1) Mrs Nia Edwards, Headmistress, Ysgol y Ganllwyd, cut the tape to open the Children’s Forest Adventure Playground at Coed y Brenin, watched by her pupils and DF Paul Sherrington. (2) Michael Griffith of the Countryside Commission opens the Forest Park, watched by Conservator John Morgan and District Manager Mark Yorke.
Gethin Woodland Park was opened by David Hunt MBE, Secretary of State for Wales. The special status was accorded the area of the FC’s Abercanaid Woodlands, near Merthyr Tydfil. John Williams, FD Manager for Morgannwg said: “From the inception of the scheme, Merthyr Tydfil Groundwork Trust has been actively promoting access to the countryside. They have advised on footpath and bridleway alignments, and formed a voluntary organisation, Friends of Gethin.” John Morgan said Gethin is the second of our new-style community woodlands, the first being Penpych Woodland Park, opened in the upper Rhondda Fawr in 1989. It includes a car park, picnic places and barbecue hearths, a toilet block, a children's adventure playground and a footpath designed for visitors with walking difficulties. Future plans cover the history of past industry and farm husbandry, and will highlight the rich bird life.
Pictures: (1) The Welsh Secretary David Hunt MBE, at the launch of the Gethin Woodland Park, seen with Conservator John Morgan and other FC officials. (2) Mr Hunt with local primary school pupils who tried out some of the new facilities.
A new office extension has been opened for the building that has housed the FC at Llandovery ever since 1972. Myrddin Evans, Chairman of Dyfed County Council, officially opened the building, a far cry from the days when Commission work was carried out from foresters’ homes throughout the district in the 1920s. The original office in Llandovery was the Market Hall from the 1960s until 1972.
Picture: The Llandovery Office opening ceremony performed by Councillor Myrddin Evans, Chairman of Dyfed County Council. Also in the picture are Mrs Elizabeth Thomas, Mayoress of Llandovery; Rob Donaldson, FD Manager; and John Morgan.
Under reorganisation last April, Llandovery FD was formed as an amalgamation of two districts. Rob Donaldson, FD Manager at Llandovery said “Our Forest District stretches from Rhayader down to Llanelli and includes Carmarthen and the whole of the old county of Pembrokeshire. It contains 23,000 hectares of Commission-owned woodland of which eight per cent is broadleaf woodland. The district employs 200 people including contractors and sub-contractors, and will produce 155,000 tonnes of timber this year.
Signs of the Times
The sign unit at Coed y Brenin produces signs for the private sector. Orders have arisen because the Sign Workshop is open to the public and offers people an opportunity to order their own house sign. Three of the biggest customers have been Colchester, Worthing and High Wycombe councils. All their orders have been produced on home-grown chestnut or oak. The Sign Unit offers a wide range of British hardwoods for the signs. The FC signs are produced on 60 year old Douglas fir boards, grown in the district and sawn on a mobile sawmill.
Picture: An example of a sign produced for Colchester Borough Council's Visitor Centre.
Cardiff is Branching Out
When the Countryside Council for Wales is launched next April, one of its first acts is expected to be the creation of a Cardiff Community Forest. The project is seen as an extension of an existing scheme that has helped plant 60,000 trees in and around the city.
Yomp Pioneers do it Again
Dolgellau FD, who claim to have introduced the word “Yomp” to the sporting vocabulary, have had more success this year with the Coed y Brenin Yomp, now in its eighth year, and the Corris Challenge in its third year. Each year a different route for the yomp is marked out over 12-15 miles of various forest and open hill terrain, including steep rocky climbs, knee deep bogs, felled forests, forest tracks, river crossings, tussock molinia and heather moor. Each male competitor carries 25 lb weight, female competitors carry 15 lbs. Out of 100 entrants, which included a strong entry from a number of Forest Districts, winner of the inter-FC Challenge Cup were Llandovery FD, led by Richard Pow with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes. Fastest overall winner was a 52 year old veteran in 1 hour 43 minutes, followed by Llanrwst’s Ray Williams, only one minute behind. Prizes for a range of entry classifications were presented at Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre by Alan Jones, Snowdonia’s National Park Officer.
Picture: A river crossing on the course.
The Corris Challenge included a 3,000 ft climb over a ten mile course through forest and open ground. Forty five competitors entered the event.
Spriggy Returns to Fight
The Spriggy logo has returned to remind all of the importance of careful tree handling and planting.
With the planting season nearly approaching, and with about 30 million trees to be planted by the FC, the drive is on to ensure the maximum number survive. Once they are planted, deer, weevils, rabbits and hares will be having a go at them. They should be protected effectively from these hazards, but will survive natural predation and competition only if they are handled carefully and get a healthy start. So the message is take care of your trees. Even if only 10 per cent die, that’s 3 million. A lot of trees.
Key points behind the three-year campaign are: Throwing or crushing bags of plants can damage trees; bags should be stored singly and upright in a cool place; when planting, spread roots, don’t crush them; firm the tree gently, don’t stamp it in roughly; don't let roots dry out.
To underline the aim of high survival within two years of planting, a seminar was held at Northern Research Station for the Horticultural Trades Association. Topics included the work of the tree improvement research nursery, the evaluation of quality of plant, and the influence of storage and handling on survival and early growth.
Visitors were shown the latest in laboratory-testing techniques and developments in soil analysis and nutritional regimes in forest nurseries, plus methods used in undercutting and sidecutting of nursery stock.
One important example of saving stock is in Northamptonshire, where one of Britain’s rarest trees, the wild service or chequer tree, is to get a helping hand from the Commission.
Good weather resulted in an unusually heavy crop of fruit and Commission staff led by FDM Keith Wilson collected the seeds in October. Keith explained they hoped to harvest 100 kilos of fruit, enough seed to grow three million wild service trees. At the moment there is no British seed available, only imported stock. The seed is being stored at Alice Holt Research Station. The tree's unusual name "service" comes from the Latin “cerevisia," meaning beer because the berries of the tree were used to sweeten that drink.
Busy Year Ahead – Forestry Commission Retirement Association
The Mid Scotland Retirement Association Committee have had up to 45 members and spouses attending their events during the past year. Among the places chosen were the Queen’s View Visitor Centre; Blair Atholl Distillery; Glasgow’s Year of Culture; Cruachan Power Station; Bonawe Ironworks Museum at Taynuilt.
Picture: Members of M(S) Retirement Association on their day out at the Queen’s View Visitor Centre.
The Mid Argyll local group are planning monthly meetings in Lochgilphead Community Centre, when talks, film shows etc. will be presented.
Alice Holt: Members visited Exbury Gardens, a 200-acre site comprising azaleas and rhododendrons originated by Lord Rothschild; heard from Colin Lennox, gardens and farm manager of an adult prison near Guildford from where produce goes to other prisons in the south-east; visited the House of Commons and took a boat trip on the Thames.
Breck: Despite wet and windy weather, 25 members enjoyed a day at Sandringham organised by Claude Choules.
Edinburgh HQ: Members visited Dalmeny Church (where chairman Bill Sutherland’s father was a minister); South Queensferry; the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh; the Glasgow Exhibition; Crieff and an old distillery. Christmas lunch will be held at the zoo.
Mid-Wales Group members enjoyed a day in the Llyn Brianne area of Llandovery Forest with District Foresters Roger Gatiss and Geraint Davies. They were treated to a demonstration of modern harvesting and extraction techniques, then were guided around the computerised District Office by FDM Rob Donaldson. One member was heard to mutter that he preferred it when his office was a wooden shed in the forest and the “central heating” was a smokey old wood-burning stove. Ah, these were the days! Christmas dinner will be at the Four Season’s Hotel, Aberystwyth.
Cavalcade Sets Super Scene
The new Carriage Trail in Thetford has been opened. A cavalcade of forty horse-and-carriage combinations, including diminutive Shetlands and huge impressive Shires took to the Thetford Carriage Trail to the accompaniment of the posthorn. There were no major mishaps, but one of the little ponies hadn't had enough. At the end of the day it broke free and set off across the depot, pursued by its owner. The events generated a lot of interest in this unique facility. Thetford now has 20 miles of forest roads and tracks available on a permit basis.
Pictures in Thetford: (1) A Horse and carriage at Thetford accompanied by a blast on the posthorn. (2) A single horse leads out the cavalcade. (3) An impressive coach-and-four. (4) A white-maned pony, with women in the driving seat.
Challenge of Recreation
Nearly 200 tents were pitched at the Kilvrecht campsite near Kinloch Rannoch for the 22nd annual Karrimor International Mountain Marathon. More than 2,400 competitors from all over Europe took part in the event hosted by Perthshire FD. One of the organisers, Jen Longbottom said the location was one of the best in the history of the Marathon. Director General, Robin Cutler took the opportunity to mention at least 50 million planned visits are made to our woodlands each year. For them, our Open Gates policy provides easy and free access, waymarked trails, picnic tables, facilities to help the disabled, and opportunities for everyone to see wildlife. The list of activities is almost as limitless as man's ingenuity. We even have husky-dog sledging. He congratulated everyone involved with the organisation and the competitors who took part.
The Mountain Marathon is reckoned to be the world's toughest event of its kind, covering up to 70 km of mountainous terrain over a period of two days. This year the Gordon and Fairclough Shield for runners in the elite course was won by Philip Clark and Graham Huddleston, whose time was 12 hours 47 minutes 59 seconds.
Competitors in teams of two in six different classes have to carry all their food and equipment for the entire two-day journey, which involves an enforced overnight camp on what is invariably a bleak, exposed site at high level. The organisers told District Forester Malcolm Wield the event is over-subscribed. Every year they have to turn almost as many people away as they enrol, and FC employees ran in the race. Several Karrimor Marathons have been held on FC land and thanks to the hard work of FDM Charlie Taylor and his team in Perthshire, there should be many more.
Pictures: (1) Tents at the Kilvrecht campsite. (2) Paddy Buckley and Observer writer Chris Brasher competed in the Score class. (3) Robin Cutler presents Philip Clark and Graham Huddleston with the winners’ shield.
Notable Awards for the Forestry Commission
In a competition for excellence and the best map of the year, the British Cartographic Society awarded a Highly Commended certificate to the Forestry Commission.
Leaflets submitted for the National Cartographic contest were “Lochaweside Forest” (map artwork by Glasgow’s Howard Davies and Helen Stirling); “Galloway Forest Park” (map by Fiona MacFarlane and Brian Stewart, Dumfries); and “Aberdeen, Deeside and Kincardine Forests” (map from Forest Surveys Drawing Office, HQ, by Sheila Murchison and Barry Hearse). Design for all three publications was by Alan Chalmers, Design and Interpretation Branch, and are among the latest in a programme of new design work under the direction of Bob Jones, head of Design and Interpretation Branch.
The Commission’s Senior Cartographer Keith Ball said: “I am delighted - indeed over the moon - at this very high level of national recognition. I have always had a high regard for the professionalism of the cartographers. This is only the second year of competing at national level against major mapping agency rivals whose sole purpose is profitable map production. We are already producing improved maps and our cartographers will continue to expand the number of these publications.”
At the same ceremony, Esther Whitton, from FSDO, was nominated in the student of the year competition for her outstanding work on the H/Scotvec Topography course at the Glasgow college.
Picture: The cartographic team beside a display of some of their maps.
From the Queen Mother’s Birthday Trophy scheme, the Tidy Britain Group awarded top prize to New Forest Pride Week initiated by the Commission. The Birthday Trophy was the main award from 43 given to organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to coping with litter.
The trophy was presented by the Duke of Devonshire, president of Tidy Britain, at the Queen Mother’s Birthday Award ceremony in London to Martin Fletcher, on behalf of the FC; Group Captain Hermiston (New Forest District Council), and Mr Peter Wheeler (representing the volunteers).
During New Forest Pride Week in April, over 6,000 volunteers consisting of groups, organisations and individuals, from children to pensioners, worked day and night to clean up discarded litter. Between them they collected 8,000 bagfuls of rubbish. “It really was a tremendous community effort which resulted in our most successful anti-litter initiative ever,” said Martin Fletcher, District Forester. “We saw it as part of a long-term campaign to banish litter. To receive the Birthday Trophy is a tremendous honour and we are all very excited about it. Really, it’s for each one of those volunteers who gave so generously of their time. We hope this will encourage more people to keep our country clean.”
Pictures: (1) The Tidy Britain award line-up: Professor Graham Ashworth, Director General of the Tidy Britain Group; Duke of Devonshire, President of the Tidy Britain Group; Martin Fletcher, DF; Peter Wheeler, New Forest panel; and Councillor Group Captain Maurice Hermiston. (2) Mrs Linda Cox, AO, displays the Queen Mother's Birthday Award certificate.
A new award for the conservation and enjoyment of landscape quality in the Dartmoor National Park has been awarded to the FC for its outstanding sustained management and protection of archaeological sites on Commission land within the park.
The Commission cleared trees from ancient monuments, the visible evidence of earlier settlements and cultures, which included hut circles, stone circles, cairns, tumuli, pounds, field systems, long houses and stone rows, some dating from 2,000 BC.
New Ranger for Wyre
A new wildlife ranger, Phil Rudlin (24), has been appointed for Wyre Forest. His main tasks will be to care for wildlife, ranging from butterflies to birds of prey and from ants to deer, maintaining a balance between them, while at the same time ensuring the conservation of trees and plants. It is hoped to begin a programme in the next few weeks to bring disadvantaged city children to the Forest to let them experience the plants and animals
Eels in Drive to Save the Vanishing Otter
In a combined effort with Northumbrian Water, the National Rivers Authority, and the county Wildlife Trust, the Forestry Commission are trying to woo back the otter to the Kielder area of Northumberland by “importing” eels. The exercise attracted wide interest, and TV spots were given to Hugh Watson, of the Wildlife Trust, to explain its aims.
The Tyne is one of the last rivers in England to support a healthy population of otters. They used to range right up to the Scottish Border, but the construction of Kielder Reservoir led to their disappearance from the upper North Tyne Valley, much of which was flooded. Even now, ten years afterwards, the otters have not yet returned. The most likely cause is a lack of eels — the otter’s favourite food.
The eel has an amazing life history. Mature eels from all over Europe and North America migrate downriver and out to sea to converge in one spot in the Atlantic, the Sargasso Sea, where they spawn and die. Young eels drift in the ocean currents to our shores where they swim up river to colonise rivers, lakes and streams, the length and breadth of the country. Tough and persistent, they will even scale waterfalls by creeping up wet vertical rock faces. Kielder Dam, which has no fish pass, proved too much of an obstacle. So every year, as each generation of mature Kielder eels migrates down river, fewer and fewer are left behind to provide food for the otters.
Eels are an important food source for otters. Successful otter conservation depends on managing our rivers and river catchments properly so that we have clean, unpolluted water. Hugh Watson explained that his Trust brought more than 15,000 elvers or baby eels, from the Severn at Bristol and over two days they were put into Kielder Water. He said: “It’s a beginning, obviously, normally every year there’ll be a fresh batch of elvers coming in, so this operation’s going to have to be repeated in future years. One year on its own isn’t enough. Otters have very large territories. A female needs somewhere between 10 and 20 miles of river, a male can have a territory up to 40 miles in length, so it takes an awful lot of countryside to support quite a small number.”
If You Go Down to the Woods Today
And with that caption, together with picture of course, we’ve found the winner of our competition announced in the last issue in Wits’ Corner. Which means that a prize of £25 is on its way to N(S) Conservancy, just in time for the festive feasts that will no doubt abound. Not content with their caption, the unnamed contributors penned this report below, which went some way to catching the judge’s eye and swayed his vote for N(S).
Reports of a monster lurking in the dark waters of Loch Ness, or of pumas in the wild (together with the occasional pink elephant) are all part and parcel of Highland folklore. Most, however, elude the hours of daylight and the cameraman. Not so this latest ‘Slasher’ exclusive from N(S) Conservancy.
This miraculous shot adds a whole new dimension to the meaning of habitat in pine / birch woodlands. It was captured by a member of Conservancy staff who wishes to remain anonymous to avoid the inevitable Press and media harassment, compulsory revision of conservation plans, obligatory environmental assessment, notification of SSSIs, declaration of forest nature reserves, construction of panda havens, environmental audits, visits by senior staff consultants and aspiring politicians in various shades of green, not to mention staff inspections, forest district re-organisations, team briefing, and endless union consultations, which would ensue if formal pronouncements were to be made. A low-key hush-hush approach has, we understood, been endorsed by the local FDM, Conservation Forester and PF & EO, none of whom was available for comment. Apparently they swiftly arranged simultaneous annual leave. Obviously, lengthy discreet internal talks will have to be undertaken at a high level to ascertain whether the sighting can be authenticated and an appropriate amendment drafted for the Native Pinewoods and Conservation Guidelines.
Applications for payment of an enhanced rate of management grant will no doubt have to be carefully considered. In the meantime, our N(S) mole suggests that all aspiring Friends of the N(S) Panda should forward contributions to the Worldwide Fund for Nature.
STOP PRESS
Reports now suggest the sightings to be a hoax. An official spokesman for the Conservancy believes it was a Con Man Extraordinaire reputedly en route to a party. Wot . . . another one!
Picture: A forest visitor causes “pandemonium”.
Champagne for Roger
Roger North, Forest Ranger, of South Downs has won the runner-up prize in the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Awards. Roger worked out a system of deterring pregnant roe from entering silage fields by placing road hazard lamps at vulnerable areas. The lamps were placed the night before cutting. The only casualties in three seasons were in an unlit silage field, because the farmer had cut without previously warning Roger. The top prize of £5,000 went to Dalgety plc. for a “chemical fence”, applied as a spray to deter deer from entering a field.
Wheelers Aid Church
FC staff of Lochaline N(S) organised a two-day mountain bike event for Kiel Church preservation fund. Over £250 was raised when 40 competitors took part despite bad weather. There were special sections for schools, novices, juniors and veterans. Winner of the main event was David Rodgers of Fort William, the Scottish hill-running champion. He had never raced a mountain bike. Organisers included forester John Ireland and his team.
Seen a Saw?
After the report in September’s ‘Slasher’ of an appeal for old ploughs for the Ae Collection, another keen restorer of anything old and mechanical has issued an appeal. Doug Archibald, a spreading-dozer driver with Area Engineer East N(S) owns a saw powered by a Villiers Junior 2-stroke engine in perfect working order. He wonders if anyone has information about these machines (when and where used), and also wants to know the whereabouts of any Thames Trader tippers which were in common use in the 1950s.
Picture: Doug Archibald’s saw, powered by a Villiers Junior 2-stroke engine.
Leaving
Willie MacMillan, Foreman of Cairnbaan Joiners Workshop, Loch Awe FD, with 34 years’ service with the Commission has been made redundant. Willie, aged 64 hasn’t retired, and is working with a local building company. He said the initial tasks of building Fire Towers and stables changed over the years to repairing houses and offices.
Picture: Willie MacMillan who received his Long Service certificate from Eric Box, Area Land Agent, is pictured with his wife Rose.
Tony Butterfield, Bricklayer/Mason, Low Dalby, North England, leaves the Forestry Commission to work for a local authority in Dorset. His first job on joining the Commission was building an extension to the communal areas at Spiers Campsite, his last task was also a commercial recreation project, involving a stone barbecue area at Keldy Cabins site.
Dick Hardy, Electrician, Low Dalby, North England, has left the Forestry Commission. He first worked for the Commission in 1947 after War Service with the Royal Electricians and Mechanical Engineers. In the 1950s he started his own firm and in the late 1970s and early 1980s had carried out a large number of rewires in FC properties which had been put on mains electricity in the early post-war years. For the last few years Dick has been semi-retired, but kept an eye on electrical matters at the Keldy Cabins site.
Picture: Tony Butterfield with Tom Wilkinson, Area Land Agent, and Dick Hardy.
Marriages
Howard Hart, Exhibitions Officer, Information Division, and Moira Kidd, Personal Secretary to Commissioner, Admin and Finance, have married.
Pictures: (1) Howard Hart and Moira Kidd, presented with a wedding gift by Frazer Lindsay, Head of Information. (2) Staff from the Information Division gather for a party.
Claire Davies, Administration Officer in the Conservancy Accounts Section, Wales, married Geoffrey Garrad in Aberystwyth in September.
Picture Claire Davies and Geoffrey Garrad.
Retired
David Taylor, Senior Storeman at Blairadam Central Store, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission at Blairadam Forest, where he was a skilled Forest Worker on the forest squad for 15 years, before moving indoors when the central store was created at Clentry within Blairadam Forest.
Picture: David Taylor receives his Long Service certificate from David Fraser, Personnel Officer.
George Jamieson, Ganger, retired on October 22, after 26 years’ service with the Commission. He joined at Strathmore Forest in Hallyburton where he has lived ever since, working at Craigvinean and Strathardle Forests and Angus and Perthshire Forest Districts. These changes were the result of amalgamations. He was promoted to Ganger in 1976 and his duties have covered all types of work including cable crane winch extraction, and on the harvesting side as a chainsaw operator.
Arthur Dixon, Tractor Driver, has retired after 50 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission in 1940 and transferred to Pytchley Forest, now part of Wymersley, Northants FD, in 1956.
Picture: Arthur Dixon, with his wife and presented with his Long Service certificate by Norman Dannatt, Conservator East England.
Willie Halliday (Gunner Halliday), has retired after over 46 years’ service with the Commission. After leaving school aged 14, he worked as a “nipper” (teaboy) at Dundrennan, then had a short spell at Kippford Quarry and at a sawmill before joining the FC at Dalbeattie in 1944. His early recollections are of brashing the forest at Spycraig and of planting on the Moyle Hill at Gallowlech. After national service, he returned to his native Dalbeattie in 1948 to work under forester Jimmy Watson. A general jack of all trades, Willie felled with an axe and bow saw, planted, drained, drove a tipper lorry, graded the roads, drove a flat lorry. With the introduction of power saws in the late 1960s, he moved on to chainsaw thinning and felling, then became a Forest Ganger in the 1970s and was responsible for forest harvesting teams and despatching timber. Latterly, he despatched over 50,000 tonnes of timber a year with hardly ever a hiccup.
Picture: Willie Halliday receives his Long Service certificate from Gordon Cowie, Conservator, South Scotland, while his colleagues look on.
Jimmy Ackerley, Thornthwaite, North Lakes FD, has retired after 44 years’ service with the Commission. He first worked with horses, then became a Skidder Operator and more recently worked on forest management.
Picture: Conservator N(E), Andy Neustein, presents Jimmy Ackerley with his Long Service certificate.
John Taylor, Forester, Castle Douglas, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission, joining in 1954 at Bramshill, Hampshire, before moving to Scotland. He worked at Brennan, New Galloway, before the formation of Castle Douglas FD, and latterly was in charge of restocking and FR&A work. John is a cycling enthusiast and is Secretary and a founder member of Galloway Cycling Group, and was also involved with the activities this year to mark the 150th anniversary of the invention of the first pedal-driven bicycle by Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a blacksmith from Courthill, Keir, Thornhill.
Pictures: (1) John Taylor with FDM Ernest Michie and District Foresters David McLeod and Tony Burns. (2) John Taylor at the International Cycling Festival, Dumfries & Galloway 1990.
Gordon Campbell, HQ, Head of Overseas and Plant Health Branch of Secretariat Division, has retired after 16 years’ service with the Commission and a total of 40 years in the Civil Service. He will spend time during his retirement touring in his new camper van.
Picture: Gordon Campbell studying a mounted ‘grub hole’, given to serve as a reminder of his many years as Plant Health Officer. Looking on are Gwyn Francis (former Director General) and Doug Pringle (Secretariat).
Des Pryce, Newtown Roads, has retired after 42 years’ service with the Commission. On joining the Commission, he worked on general forest duties at Hafren, Ceri and Tarenig Forests in Mid-Wales. From 1947 until retirement, he worked with Newtown Roads as an Operator on a variety of machines, including diggers, excavators, dozers and drill rigs.
Picture: David Killer, Conservancy Civil Engineer, presents Des Pryce with his Long Service certificate.
Glyn Owen Newtown Roads, has retired after 41 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission, first in general forest work, then on ploughing and draining throughout North and Mid-Wales. He joined Newtown Roads in 1975 and since then worked mainly as an excavator operator.
Picture: David Killer, Conservancy Civil Engineer, presents Glyn Owen with his Long Service certificate with Glyn’s wife looking on.
Melville Humphreys (Mel Humphreys), Newtown FD, has retired after joining the Forestry Commission in 1956 as a pre-forestry school trainee at Ceri. Following Forestry School, he joined local staff at Gwydyr where he remained for 11 years before returning to Mid-Wales at Coed Sarnau and Dyfi, then back to Ceri in 1979. He remained in the Newtown area for his last ten years of service, with responsibility for forest management at Ceri and Hafren. He was heavily involved in the control of Dendroctonus Micans and travelled widely within the FC private estate, shows and exhibitions, giving talks and instruction on the identification and control of Dendroctonus.
Picture: Melville Humphreys and Assistant Conservator, David Hughes.
Charles Edwards, Ceredigion FD, has retired after 38 years’ service with the Commission.
Bob Williams, Clerk of Works, South Wales, has retired after over 25 years’ service with the Commission.
Harry Nicholls, South East Wales FD, has retired after a long service with the Commission.
Picture: Harry Nicholls, who received his Long Service certificate from Colin Bancroft, is surrounded by his colleagues.
Ivor Turner, Newtown FD, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission at Breidden Forest in 1958 and was mainly engaged on establishment work in Breidden and later in Mathrafal before the district amalgamations.
Picture: Ivor Turner receives his Long Service certificate from Colin Bancroft.
Iorri Davies, Ceri, Wales, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission, starting his career at Ceri in 1954 as a nursery Tractor Driver.
Picture: John Morgan, Conservator, Wales, presents Iorri Davies with his Long Service certificate.
Hugh Roberts, FOIII, Llandovery, South Wales, has retired after 38 years’ service with the Commission, mostly spent in South Wales and the last ten years on forest surveys.
Obituaries
Donnie Mackintosh, Civil Engineering Surveyor, until his retirement in September 1988, died on 13th September, aged 63. He had 24 years’ service with the Commission, all spent in the North Scotland Conservancy at Fort William.
Len Livsey, Ganger at Weldrake in York FD, died at home after a short illness. He was due to retire next month on his 65th birthday. Len started as a forest worker in June 1957 and played a part in the rehabilitation of woods around York, devastated by wartime fellings. Later he was active in the production unit, the nursery and the motorway planting gang.
Augustus Bolderstone, who retired in 1985 has died. He served with the Commission for 38 years at Dalby.
Duncan Ross, retired Chief Forester from the former Black Isle Forest of North Scotland Conservancy has died. He joined the Commission after serving as a regular soldier with the Royal Artillery throughout the Second World War. Apart from a period with Research Branch, Duncan spent most of his Forestry Commission service in North Conservancy, becoming Chief Forester of Black Isle in 1964 until his retirement in 1974.
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