Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 352 - July 1991
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.
Jill is Editor
Jill Mackay has been appointed editor of ‘Slasher’. She has been an Information Officer with the Public Information Division of Headquarters for three years.
Picture: Sean Connery with Jill Mackay.
Strategy Document to Spell Out the Plans: Enterprise of the Nineties
Chief Executive, David Foot, explained the aims of Forest Enterprise, which will have an organisational identity. This is the part of the Commission which will be responsible for the Commission's own forests and woodlands all over Britain. The aim will be to manage them as a multiple use resource with management to provide products like wood, as well as creative management to provide non-market benefits such as landscape quality and wildlife, and the informal recreation enjoyed by many millions of visitors to our forests.
Strategy: The objectives of Enterprise will be to maintain and, where appropriate, increase the productive potential of the forest estate; increase opportunities for public recreation; increase the environmental value of the forests and woodlands; conserve rare and important habitats and species; maximise the net value of the commercial activities.
Disposals: Enterprise will continue disposing of some of its woodlands and only retain property where it is required to achieve objectives. Surplus property will be sold and sitting tenants normally given the first opportunity to buy. The Forestry Commission is the parent organisation responsible for forestry policy and will allocate funds to Enterprise, provide personnel, research and other services. Enterprise will provide the Commission with services such as technical advice where it has specific skills and expertise. Enterprise will be responsible through the Forestry Commissioners to Government.
Enterprise will be responsible for the management of 1.14 million hectares of land throughout Great Britain of which 900,000 hectares is woodland or forest.
Of the land not bearing trees, 10,000 hectares is awaiting planting, 60,000 hectares is let for agricultural purposes and the balance is land used mainly for conservation, recreation, wildlife management or other forest management purposes.
There are 1,300 houses, 2,200 other buildings and rights are let to 1,500 sportings.
About 3,600 staff are at present directly employed in the Enterprise. A further 3,000 people work in the forests or contract to, or are employed by the purchasers of standing timber. At least as much again in the wood processing industry. All Enterprise staff will be employees of the Forestry Commission.
Funding is mainly through timber production, which in 1990-91 amounted to 3.8 million cubic metres and will rise to approximately 6 million cubic metres per annum over the next 20 years.
Enterprise has 47 Forest Districts grouped into five Regions with regional offices located in Inverness, Dumfries, York, Bristol and Aberystwyth. Headquarters functions will be carried out by five Divisions - Business Enterprise, Engineering, Estate Management, Finance and Forest Management.
Picture: David Foot.
Rush is on for Higher Grants
The revised Woodland Grant Scheme was launched in London by the three forestry ministers, Sir Wyn Roberts MP, Lord Strathclyde and Baroness Trumpington. Lord Strathclyde said they wanted to encourage owners to take the opportunity to improve the environmental standards of their woodlands as well as undertake sound, sensible management.
Pictures: (1) Sir Wyn Roberts, Lord Strathclyde and Baroness Trumpington are pictured at the launch of the Woodland Grant Scheme. (2) At the launch of the scheme in Wales, Sir Wyn Roberts was presented with a walking stick by John Morgan, Conservator, Wales. The stick was made by Wyn Owen, formerly of the Conservancy.
Visitors Quiz
Researchers from Stirling University are interviewing visitors at 60 Forestry Commission car parks this summer to find out more about the value people place on the recreation facilities provided by the Commission. Previous work by Newcastle University suggests the overall value of forest recreation in Commission woods is substantial. A pilot survey was carried out at Tummel Visitor Centre last month, followed by the current surveys throughout the country, from the South of England to the North of Scotland.
TUS Diary: Still No Good Answers
Kenny Murray says members from NUCPS and CPSA have asked the Board of Commissioners to justify their proposals to cut 158 jobs, but the IPMS are not participating because there was no membership pressure for action yet. He mentions the concerns of privatisation for the Forestry Commission.
Picture: Kenny Murray.
Bye to Slasher Editor Roy Gregor
After eight years as Editor of ‘Slasher’, Roy Gregor has left to become editor of “Ferranti News”.
Picture: Roy Gregor and colleagues.
Retirement Association Reports
The Mid-Wales Group visited Lake Vyrnwy and listened to an outline of the history of the estate and reservoir, before touring the control tower. At the Visitor Centre, the RSPB warden gave a talk on the wildlife and habitat of the area.
The Edinburgh HQ branch visited St Mary’s Church, Haddington; Lennoxlove House; Thirlestane Castle; and have planned a visit to Anstruther Fisheries Museum.
Picture: The Edinburgh HQ group of Forestry Commission Retirement Association members.
Travellers Extraordinary - The World is Our Oyster
International links have been forged between the Forestry Commission and many other countries involving landscape design. Last year, ‘Slasher’ reported that Senior Landscape Architect Simon Bell and West England Landscape Architect James Swabey had visited the Danish Forest and Nature Agency. Since then, Simon has been in great demand in running seminars.
Picture: Simon Bell stands by the world’s biggest Sitka spruce in Oregon, USA.
Operation Raleigh is one of several international projects that aim to help young people to develop their leadership potential. One of the toughest field locations is the Taitao Peninsula in Southern Chile, which gives the Venturers, as volunteers are called, a taste of science at the sharp end.
Dr John Innes, Scientist at Alice Holt Research Station reports on a visit to this remote and largely unexplored wilderness. He was particularly interested in beech forests growing at high altitudes as they might provide information on past climatic trends. He said “We encountered lots of problems. The remoteness of the area meant that it took almost two weeks to reach the forests, the journey involving stops at eight airports, a coach trip, an overnight trip in a fishing boat (which almost sank on the way back after running aground) and, finally, a two-day walk in the forests. All our food had to be carried in, along with most of the equipment. It rained most days which meant that the leeches were particularly active - and they got everywhere. Most of our work involved drilling into about 500 trees to get cores showing the annual growth rings. These form the raw material for doing all the studies on growth dynamics and climate reconstructions.
Two scientists from the Finnish Forest Research Institute at Rovaniemi visited Thetford and Alice Holt as part of an international project on Scots pine. Rovaniemi, claimed to be the home of Santa Claus, is north of the Arctic Circle and England provides quite a contrast for the two scientists, Dr Risto Jalkonen and Mr Tarmo Aalto. They showed John Innes how to determine how many years Scots pine trees have kept their needles in the past and how many years worth of needles an individual Scots pine has had during its entire life.
Two German visitors to Thetford launched a project which aims to plant a hectare of forest in every country in Europe. The project is the lifelong ambition of 70 year old Hans-Joachim Gabriel from Munster, who in his career as a landscape designer, has planted over 15 million trees. He is travelling with his nephew Michael Ohl. They spent two days in Thetford planting pine, larch and Douglas fir in an area close to the site of the new Forest Centre, before moving on to Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland. In all, they plan to visit 33 countries in the next 3-4 years.
Sarah Kempe, a forester from Christchurch, New Zealand is on a six month attachment at Cardinham Woods near Bodmin, to improving her knowledge specialising in recreation and amenity opportunities.
Bronze Age and Roman Links Found
Roman links have been unearthed in South East Wales at Hensol, South Glamorgan and W(E) Conservancy office at Keynsham near Bristol. The Hensol site was covered in dense scrub, making archaeological surveying and planning very difficult, but once preliminary work had been completed, two separate enclosures were revealed abutting each other. Some artifacts, animal bones, Roman shards, window glass, brick, tile and nails were found. Amphora shards from Spain and a cream jug from Gaul were also unearthed. Artifacts have been donated to the National Museum of Wales.
At Keynsham, the foundations of a Roman building, a trackway, pottery and pieces of bone were discovered on a site just outside the Conservancy office window. The office is in the grounds of the Cadbury factory site, where a Roman villa was discovered in the 1920s when the present factory was built. A firm of local builders were laying a new football field when the discovery was made. The local History Society was alerted by Diane Boone, PS, at W(E) Conservancy Office and photographs were taken before the site is covered.
On Cannock Chase, foresters planning a new public viewpoint close to Castle Ring, stumbled across a Bronze Age burial mound.
Another Link With the Past Provided by Jack Jennings
Retired FC veteran Jack Jennings sent two pictures. They showed a hammer used by Admiralty workers over a century ago, when buying timber for the Navy from the Forest of Dean. An old Woodman was using it to break up coal! A hard blow on the butt of the log would leave its imprint of Crown and forest of origin.
Pictures: The hammer and Dean identifying stamp.
Tree Aid Appeal
In under three years, FC staff donated over £4,300. The Cash raised has enabled Tree Aid to support a project at West Mirria in Niger, linked with the Forestry Commission.
Happy Birthday Roslin - Three Day Party Bash
There were celebrations for the “coming of age” at the Northern Research Station, Roslin, near Edinburgh. A new wing was opened and there were three open days to mark 21 years of forestry research at the site. A birthday cake was cut by Agnes Martin, telephonist at Roslin since it opened. Cathy McIlwhan worked at the site nine years before the Station opened. Her memories were of her starting as a Forest Clerk and working from a wooden hut, which could get cold in the winter. Her job involved assisting the Forester with his work, from counting seeds to weighing out fertiliser.
Mainly concerned with research on forestry in the uplands of Scotland, Northern England and Wales, 70 people, including 25 project leaders, work at the Roslin building with 80 more employed at various out-stations.
Lord Strathclyde, Scottish Office Minister who performed the opening ceremony at the new wing, said “The Research Division of the Forestry Commission has a worldwide reputation for the thoroughness of its work. It provides the means for private foresters and the Commission itself to increase the volume of wood grown in Britain.”
Chairman Raymond Johnstone spoke about the double value of forestry research with a technology which produces better trees and also helps us to understand and conserve semi-natural habitats.
During the Open Days, visitors saw at first hand some of the research projects currently being carried out. These included entomology, physiology, silviculture and tree improvement.
Pictures: (1) Lord Strathclyde opens the new wing, watched by Chairman Raymond Johnstone, Calvin Booth (Chief Research Officer at Roslin), and David Burdekin (National Director of Research). (2) Roslin staff. (3) Lord Strathclyde tries out a high-pressure hose which exposes tree roots without damage. (4) Ten members of staff who have been at Roslin since it opened. (5) Lord Strathclyde trying his hand at pollinating a young larch.
John's Owl Pockets £100 Prize
John Williams, Graphics Officer, Alice Holt, received £100 for his owl logo in the “Design a logo” competition.
Picture: John Williams, Commissioner David Grundy and Martin Finlayson of the Suggestion Panel.
Rain-Free Woods!
Abertay FD created a woodland at the Royal Highland Show, near Edinburgh, receiving more than 8,000 visitors during the four days. Howard Dixon, a freelance designer from Newcastle, worked from ideas from the “Abertay RHAS think-tank” to create the complex forest adventure within the marquee.
Alistair Clark, Chief Ranger, Cowal FD, put together the main display area featuring the multi-purpose forest. Animals and birds, including a cuckoo, capercailzie and black grouse, were collected from a wide range of sources including Tony Hinde, N(S), the QEFP Visitor Centre and the Scottish Museum. Visitors included Michael Forsyth MP, Scottish spokesman on forestry and Lord Strathclyde, Minister for Forestry and Agriculture, who was particularly impressed with the 9 ft high FC logo chainsaw carved by Duncan Gillies, Lorne FD, champion Forest Craftsman.
Duncan Gillies entertained the crowds with his outstanding chainsaw carvings of animals, including a squirrel, a roe deer and a bird, using a Husqvarna 250.
Showing the more traditional methods of working with wood, Jimmy Gillies hand-carved exquisite figures and bowls.
Peter Quelch, FDM, Loch Awe FD, displayed his skills at pole lathe turning.
During the Royal Highland Show, representatives from several FC areas collected awards from the Scottish Woods and Forest competition. Glentress, Peebles, managed by Roger Muhl, was also highly commended in the “over 150 hectares” class, as was Kilmichael, Argyll, managed by Peter Quelch.
Pictures: (1) Lord Strathclyde is enrolled as a young forester at the Royal Highland Show. (2) Jack Caufield (Lothian and Tweed FD) and Duncan Henderson (Loch Awe) with Scottish Woods and Forests Awards at the Royal Highland Show.
Queen Elizabeth Park
Lord Strathclyde visited the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park at Aberfoyle to launch the Achray Forest Cycle Trail, and he took to two wheels along with many youngsters. The Forest Park covers more than 50,000 acres and is visited by more than one and a half million people each year. Walking, cycling, orienteering and husky dog races are all part of its activities. It is there that a group of Scouts are monitoring the progress of their award-winning barn owl box project.
Three Honoured
Dr Jeffrey Burley, Director of the Oxford Forestry Institute, was awarded the CBE as acknowledgement of his standing as a first class scientist in international forestry.
Douglas Purves Pringle, a senior official at HQ in Edinburgh, was awarded the OBE. He was involved in providing briefing to ministers and in official negotiations in Whitehall, and with responsibility for forestry plant health questions.
Peter Raymond Beale, Senior Ranger, West Downs, was awarded the BEM. He is devoted to promoting educational possibilities of the forest with strong links to schools in Surrey, Berkshire and part of Hampshire.
Appointments
Andrew Ball, who has been with the Forestry Commission for over 12 years has been appointed as the Commission’s Wildlife Ranger in Cornwall, based at Bodmin.
Pippa Kirkham will be helping to develop teacher training relating to all aspects of woodlands and their management in Northants FD. This will cover the area of Northants, South Lincs, North-west Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and parts of Bucks and North Beds.
Rosemary Winnall has been appointed the Commission’s new Education Officer at Wyre Forest in the West Midlands. The facilities at Wyre Forest include a forest classroom, lecture room visitor centre, deer hide, picnic site and toilets.
Wyre Forest Events
In the past two months in Wyre Forest, there has been a guided butterfly walk, a deer watch hosted by Phil Rudlin, Wildlife Ranger, a guided walk to discover the woodland wild flowers and a two-hour cycle ride led by District Forester Ian Hickman.
Aid For the Sand Lizard and Merlin
Dorset Heath, the Cambrian Mountains and other areas of Wales figure in a drive by the Forestry Commission to protect Britain’s wildlife.
In Dorset Heath, three hundred and fifty acres are being restored. smooth snakes and sand lizards, Britain's rarest reptiles, will benefit along with nightjar, woodlark, Dartford warbler, the silver-studded blue butterfly and heather. Conservator Roger Busby introduced the project. Environment Officer Rod Leslie said at the launch, “Our first target is the fragmentation of heaths that leaves scattered, vulnerable wildlife populations. We will be rejoining several heaths by removing trees to create broad heathland corridors and will expand some of our small areas and widen 25 km of ride as habitat links through the forest.”
Picture: A sand lizard.
In Wales, radio transmitters are being used by FC rangers and RSPB researchers in a survey to determine the preferred habitat and hunting habits of the merlin, one of Britain’s smallest and most elusive raptors. This dark coloured fast falcon has declined in numbers in recent years and current population estimates for Britain are between 500 and 600 pairs, with 60 to 80 pairs resident in Wales.
Four study areas were chosen for the first year’s fieldwork – Snowdonia National Park, Clocaenog Forest in Clwyd, the Cambrian Mountains ESA, and the Brecon Beacons National Park. John Westlake, Conservation Officer, Wales Conservancy, said they will attempt to determine the hunting territories of several breeding pairs, to get an insight into the habitat and prey preferences of merlins.
Picture: The FC’s David Conmick and Alan Cox on the track of the elusive merlin with their radio equipment.
Shell Grants Get Boost
Shell's Better Britain campaign is hoping to step up the number of grants this year from last year's figure of 35 awards totalling £10,015 for Scottish conservation projects. The upper limit has been increased to £750 to help initially to buy tools, plants or materials.
The Stars Come Out
Border Forest Park was opened by Brian Redhead, radio presenter and former president of the Council for National Parks. Flagship of the Border Forest Park is Kielder Castle, once the Duke of Northumberland's shooting lodge and now the Visitor Centre. The castle has recently been extensively refurbished and a new display highlights changes which have taken place over the years. The park stretches from the hills of Northern Northumberland up into Southern Scotland, forming over 250 square miles of wood, water and wildlife, and contains Europe's largest man-made forest, Kielder. At the Visitor Centre, HQ's Design and Interpretation team of Bob Jones and Alan Chalmers have created a reconstruction of the Duke of Northumberland’s study, which contains a tableau scene showing the Duke discussing plans with his head gamekeeper, while the Duchess sits nearby embroidering. In total contrast, a new video display uses up-to-date technology to tell visitors about the ever-changing landscape. The goshawk has been adopted as the symbol of the park and incorporated on all signs and publications. Local artist, Louise Ambler produced an impressive four foot high sculpture which proudly stands guard in the castle courtyard. Also launched during the opening ceremony was “Border Forest Ballad”, a wildlife audio cassette, narrated by Brian Redhead, containing the songs and calls of 37 species of birds, mammals and amphibians found in the Forest Park.
Pictures: (1) Radio presenter Brian Redhead and Castle curator Brian Long join the tableaux in the Duke’s old study at Kielder Castle. (2) A section of the wall display. (3) Brian Redhead and the striking goshawk sculpture with its creator Louise Ambler.
Wendover Woods, the first of Britain's woodland parks was opened by John Craven of the BBC's Countryfile programme. Keith Wallis, Chilterns FDM, said, “We have spent approximately £80,000 on the new facilities, which demonstrates our commitment to the Commission's policy of improving public areas.” Conservator, Norman Dannatt, stressed the importance of recreation in such areas of high population. John Craven emphasised the positive benefits to millions of people. He also praised the FC for their work in wildlife conservation, mentioning in particular the Firecrest, for which Wendover Woods provides a nationally important nesting site. The Opening Ceremony was followed by an open weekend involving a children's activity day, static displays and other activities such as learning to orienteer, making sculpture from forest waste with the help of professional sculptors and making candles from beeswax produced from hives in the forest.
Picture: John Craven cuts the tape to launch the Wendover Woods woodland park.
Moors Valley Play Trail was opened by Esther Rantzen who waived any fee. In return, Conservancy staff and Dorset’s FDM Oliver Lucas, are to make a donation to Childline charity. Sculptor Andy Frost was commissioned by the Forestry Commission to create giant mushrooms, a tepee village; snake pit; “loggosaurus”; snakes and ladders; Charlotte the Spider; and crocodile crossing, all made of timber, for the Fantasy Trail. The old “denizens” of the forest are spread around a trail around half a mile in length. The trail idea came from Oliver Lucas as a way of encouraging families to enjoy walking in the forest and the local District Council will carry out safety inspections and maintenance of the structures.
After opening the trail, Esther led a group of children across the crocodile infested pool, slithered through the snake pit and dodged the web that crafty Charlotte the spider had spun across the path.
Picture: Oliver Lucas with Esther Rantzen.
On Yer Bikes
District Forester Jeremy Gissop led the Marches Forest Event guided mountain bike ride. The event attracted 40 people and took place over a demanding route.
Picture: District Forester Jeremy Gissop at the Marches Forest Event.
New for Old
BBC Devon highlighted a ceremony to mark the planting of more than 11,000 trees at Hardwick Wood, near Plympton. The young trees, mostly oak and ash, were planted by the Woodland Trust to replace those destroyed during the storms of early 1990. The trust received a cheque for £17,000 from the Forestry Commission.
Top of the Form
The Headquarters Quiz Competition was won by the “Four at Night” team from Public Information Division.
Picture: Quizmaster Ron Elliott presents the trophy to captain Jill Mackay, with the other team members Robin Picton-Phillips, Howard Hart and Isobel Cameron. They defeated Jim McKeen’s team from Business Systems by seven points.
Training Guide
The Centre for Environment Interpretation at Manchester Polytechnic has introduced a directory of training opportunities.
Leaving / Moving
Jack Armstrong, Regional Training Officer (North), E&T, has left the Commission.
Ken Smith has left Kielder to work in Newtown FD.
Chris Baron has taken voluntary redundancy.
Ian Fisher has taken voluntary redundancy.
Howard Thompson has taken voluntary redundancy.
Raymond Ray has taken voluntary redundancy.
And in the Driving Seat
Lanarkshire Car Club organised a small rally circuit in Ardcastle Wood (Kilmichael Forest, Loch Awe FD), before the main rally event the following day. This was to allow Press and other helpers to experience rallying first-hand - such as Peter Quelch, FDM at Loch Awe, who was driven around the two mile circuit by Wilson Girvan in an Escort 4x4. Others involved included Dougie McGilvary (owner of Weldex – the sponsor) in a Sierra Cosworth, Jim Patterson (Arrochar) in a Vauxhall Nova and Mike Mackenzie (Inverness) in an Opal Ascona.
Picture: Peter Quelch, FDM, at Loch Awe.
Trust Award
Geoffrey Freedman, the FCS Bridge Engineer and Secretary of the Forestry Engineering Group within the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, received the Douglas Bomford Trust Award at a ceremony in Newcastle in May.
It follows his presentation of a paper “Small Span, Low Cost Bridge Construction,” to the institution's annual convention. It was judged to be of such standard as to merit the trust award. It contained “new ideas and sound engineering guidance at sensible costs.”
Sink or Swim
An appeal from the Royal Life-Saving Society UK, for lifeboats, has gone out to FC staff to organise sponsored swims in the area for “Swimsafe UK.”
More Ideas
South Scotland Staff Suggestion Committee have discussed several current suggestions and four new ideas. One, not taken up, was to show the shortest way back to base on cycle routes newly opened in South Scotland. Two of the others were for increased guarding on the excavator-based harvesters recently introduced. The suggestion for a chain guard, for use when tensioning the chain, was given an award of £25 but a decision on the other, a brash guard, was deferred pending an improved presentation from the contributor. Investigations into the feasibility of a suggestion for an improvement in the payroll programme are taking place before an award is made.
Tee Up, Please!
An appeal from both Mid and North Scotland for more golfers, including retired members, to join the teams. It follows a match in which M(S) narrowly defeated the North by two Stableford points despite persistent rain and a partly flooded Pitlochry course. Mid’s success was due mainly to a score of 50 points better ball by Bob McIntyre (Perthshire FD) and Rae Brown (Aberfoyle). A burr oak rose bowl donated by James Jones & Son of Larbert was presented to winning captain Mike Flinn by the N(S) captain Eric Brown.
Juniper Riddle
Staff have planted 16 small juniper bushes in Cropton Forest, North Yorkshire, to try to solve the mystery of why juniper is so scarce on the North York Moors. Although it grows and regenerates in other areas, such as the Lake District, just three bushes are known to be growing in Cropton Forest. Juniper has little commercial value, except for the flavour its berries give to the alcoholic beverage gin, but as one of three native conifers, would provide a natural link to the planted forests, and is therefore of interest to foresters - if it can be persuaded to grow.
Retired
Cyril Flint, Forest Craftsman, Cannock Chase, has retired after 48 years’ service with the Commission. His father Bill and Uncle Joe also worked in the area. The afforestation was begun in the 1920s and 1930s. Cyril started doing general forestry work, moving more onto the harvesting side as the forest became productive. When a stake yard was suggested by the then conservator in the late 1950s, Cyril became one of the mainstays on the saw bench. The stake yard flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, producing pit props for the coal industry. Right up to retirement, Cyril has been an important member of the harvesting gang, producing timber for local sawmills from trees planted and nurtured by his father all those years ago. Cyril was brought up on Cannock Chase and his family name is now preserved in Flint's Corner, an area at the head of Birches Valley. On Flint's Corner now are two private houses, but in Cyril’s young days it was a smallholding.
Picture: Cyril Flint with the Flint’s Field sign.
Brenda Jackson, Estates Clerk, Dalby, has retired after joining the Commission in 1971 and was a District Clerk based at Pickering Office before moving to Dalby. Her last request to the remaining staff at Dalby was that they should record the arrival of the swallows each Spring.
Picture: Brenda Jackson with her colleagues at Dalby.
Jack Austin, Forestry Worker, has retired after 29 years’ service with the Commission. He worked in the woods of West Staffordshire, which now form the Swynnerton section of Midlands FD. He was one of the team responsible for planting and caring for young trees in the newly created Swynnerton Forest, and also carried out roadside tree-planting along the then new M6 as well as other major roads including the A34 and A500. Recently, he has been marking and measuring trees which he planted nearly 30 years ago, ready for thinning.
Jack McKie, Forest Craftsman, Castle Douglas FD, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission. He was based mainly in the old Glengap and Laurieston beats on forest management, planting, draining and spraying.
Picture: Jack McKie receives his Long Service certificate from District Forester Tony Burns.
Hugh McLachlan, Forest Craftsman, Castle Douglas FD, has retired after 31 years’ service with the Commission. He was based mainly in the North Section on the Dundeugh, Bennan and Clatteringshaws beats.
Picture: Hugh McLachlan receives his Long Service certificate from Castle Douglas FDM Ernie Michie.
Martin Whyte, Lothian and Tweed FD, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission.
Bob Gibson, Lothian and Tweed FD, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission.
Jimmy Milne, SRI, Perthshire FD, has retired after 33 years’ service with the Commission.
Tommy MacKellar, Ganger and Beat Steward, Lorne FD, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission.
Hew Mitchell, Dalby, has retired after 45 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission at Scardale on the Yorkshire Wolds and moved to Dalby in the 1960s. He became a Loader Operator and was a key man in the Pexton pitwood depot until its closure. Latterly, his skills have been used on FM and recreation activities.
Picture: Hew Mitchell.
George Stabler, Hambleton, has retired after 50 years’ service with the Commission in the Hambleton area. One of his many skills was water divining.
Johnny Fawcett, Kielder, has retired after 43 years’ service with the Commission, all served in the Kielder area, where he worked for the forest side and for Bellingham Workshops.
Picture: Johnny Fawcett presented with his Long Service certificate by CME (E) John Beattie.
David Parsons, Forest District Manager, SE Wales FD, has retired after 25 years’ service with the Commission. He worked for the Colonial Forestry Service for 10 years based in Sarawak, Borneo, before joining the Forestry Commission in 1966. He became Forest District Manager for the then Gwent FD in 1983 and later the amalgamated SE Wales FD.
Picture: David Parsons at his retirement presentation with John Morgan.
Derek Baylis has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission, all served in Wales. He will be remembered for his excellent work with the planning and design of recreational facilities within Welsh forests and for providing the photography and texts for many of the brochures and leaflets.
Picture: Derek Baylis with former colleague Alistair Scott, Director PF and E.
Ben Williams, Clwyd FD, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission. He was associated with several of the old forest areas, which have since disappeared into amalgamations.
Picture: Ben Williams of Clwyd FD.
John Read, Forest Surveys Branch, North Wales, has retired after nearly 40 years’ service with the Commission.
Frank Layton, Radnor Forest, Newton FD, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission. After leaving school aged 13, he joined his father, who kept teams of horses ploughing on farms, hauling timber, coal, wagons and a hearse. Frank became a ploughman when he was aged 14, and later spent most of his time extracting timber and hauling by wagons to Knighton Station. One of his prized possessions is a photograph of a 1-ton beech log being hauled by a team of seven horses from Radnor Forest to the station. From 1984 until retirement, Frank became a full time instructor and supervisor of YTS students. Such was his skill, patience and leadership that Radnor was always in demand by Hereford Technical College and 28 of his students have successfully completed their courses.
Picture: Frank Layton receiving his Long Service certificate from Conservator John Morgan.
Dewi Mervyn Rees, Dyfnant Forest, Newton FD, has retired after over 40 years’ service with the Commission. His work with the Commission has included all aspects of FM, H&M and Nursery work. He was a regular driver, and in his early years drove tippers on road construction and also delivered plants and fencing material throughout Wales.
Picture: Dewi Mervyn Rees presented with his Long Service certificate by Conservator John Morgan, surrounded by colleagues.
David Elwyn Davies (Elwyn Pontsian), has retired after nearly 39 years’ service with the Commission in West Wales. Except for a few years as a driver for the Civil Engineering Section, Elwyn spent all of his service between Brechfa and Conwil Elfed, starting on establishment work and haulage before moving on to production.
Picture: Elwyn Pontsian receives his Long Service certificate from R.A. Farmer, FMO, Wales.
Gordon Driscoll, Morgannwg FD, Wales, has retired after 38 years’ service with the Commission.
Picture: Gordon Driscoll presented with his Long Service certificate by Assistant Conservator D.M. Hughes.
Benjamin Gerwyn Evans, Brechfa Forest, Wales, has retired after 25 years’ service with the Commission in Brechfa Forest where, until 1980, he was involved in felling and conversion with the production team. From 1984 to 1987 he worked at the Sign Unit where he was also involved in the manufacture of high quality picnic furniture for which Brechfa was renowned.
John Landdol Davies, Llandovery FD, Wales, has retired from the Commission after spending most of his career on harvesting duties in the Brechfa area.
Arthur Bedwell, Roads Foreman, Neath Roads, has retired after over 40 years’ service with the Commission.
Picture: David Killer, Conservancy Civil Engineer presents a Long Service certificate to Arthur Bedwell.
Jimmy Williams, D8 Operator, Neath Roads, has retired after over 40 years’ service with the Commission.
Picture: David Killer, Conservancy Civil Engineer presents a Long Service certificate to Jimmy Williams.
Pat Priestly, who retired earlier this year after 37 years’ service with the Commission, returned to Kielder FD recently to attend a farewell gathering. At the beginning of his career with the Commission, Pat attended Forester Training at Birchall and Faskally, then occupied various posts in E(S) and NW(E) Conservancies as well as in Research with his last five years as Area Research Officer in charge of Kielder Research Outstation. During early Research tree-pulling days, Pat was well known for turning up with a trailer containing assorted winches and wire ropes anywhere from Borders to Fort Augustus at any time of the day or night.
Picture: Pat Priestly sitting in an elmwood chair surrounded by his former colleagues.
Obituaries
John Sale died on 27th June aged 54, after a long battle with leukaemia.
Sandy Baker, former Deputy Surveyor, Forest of Dean, has died. Before joining the Commission, he did some practical forestry work in Northumberland, then entered the Forester Training School at Park End in the Forest of Dean in 1927. After taking his degree at Edinburgh University, he joined the Commission in 1931 and served in a number of posts, but with particular distinction as Research Officer for England and Wales, based at Oxford University. After a spell in South Wales as Private Woodlands Officer, he was appointed Deputy Surveyor of the Forest of Dean in 1954, where he spent 37 years and was an advocate for the recreational use of the forest.
Picture: Sandy Baker.
Valdemars Blankenburgs has died. Born in Latvia in 1907, he came to Britain in 1947 and joined the Commission at Kielder the following year. During his 22 years there, he progressed to Surveyor and eventually Clerk of Works. As the surveyor, he walked most of the areas to be planted, a distance he once estimated at over 12,000 miles! His record of a developing landscape, from moorland to forest, is unique, amounting to a collection of around 15,000 photographs. He also made reproductions of around 1,000 old photographs sent to him by local residents. The oldest photo, dated 1854, shows the first Tyne Valley train arriving at Riccarton Junction. Historic events associated with Kielder, such as the felling of the first tree planted by the Commission, were also faithfully recorded. His photo collection is now housed in Northumberland County Records Office, providing an invaluable historic record of the changing face of Kielder during the 1950s to 1980s.
Noel McNamara, Trees and Woodlands Officer with East Cambridgeshire District Council until retirement in 1980 has died aged 75. He spent 22 years working with the Forestry Commission as a Forester in Norfolk and Suffolk, and private estates in Hampshire and Berkshire. He left the Commission in 1968 to work within local government.
George Smith Francey MBE, has died aged 67. He joined the Commission in 1947 and retired in 1984 as DF/FM for Loch Awe FD.
John Henderson, has died aged 66. He was a District Officer for 30 years, working in Swansea, Llandrindod and latterly in Aberystwyth.
Willie Handy, Forest Worker in Aberystwyth District for 38 years, until retirement 3 years ago, died suddenly in March.
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