585
	Norman Davidson
	1964

PDF - 21.4MB

Ardross Forest Working Plan

Plan is courtesy of North Highland District Staff who recovered it from the former Dornoch Forest District Office in Dornoch.

The plan, drawn up in 1964, was signed by District Officer Alan F Mackay. There is a great deal of information on the whole forest under a wide range of headings such as Situation, Extent, Soils, Topography, Meteorology, Vegetation, History, Estate Management, Amenity, Growing Stock, Land Utilisation, Administrative Organisation, Planting Rate, Silvicultural System, Crop Establishment, Crop Maintenance, Harvesting Yields, Forest roads, Powered Vehicles and Machines, Marketing and Exploitation, Risks, Staff and Labour, Housing, Research and finally an Annual Work Programme Control Summary.

Of particular interest is Chapter 3 (History) which includes a page on the management of the land prior to acquisition by the FC summarising the estate improvements carried out which included planting of over 3000 acres between 1848 and 1855 when under the ownership of Alexander Matheson. An included table compiled by Mr William Mackenzie, Engineer and Superintendent of the Improvements in 1857 lists the plant numbers used, and costs of planting, dyking and draining over 3000 acres between 1848 and 1855. There is also mention of a Working Plan for 4,423 acres of woodland being compiled in 1907 with active help from Mr (later Sir) William Schlich the Professor of Forestry at Oxford.

The chapter on Staff includes the lists of Conservators, Divisional Officers, District Officers and Foresters from 1937 – 1964. Numbers, not names, of Forest Workers are included. This page has been added into the Large image for easy access whereas the full plan is accessed via the PDF. Chapter 16 (Marketing) lists the Standing Sale and Timber Merchants who bought standing and felled timber at the Forest from 1949 – 1964.

Conservator and Divisional Officer’s names listed:
J Fraser, D Spraggan, A Watt, JT Fitzherbert, JA Dickson, RA Innes, HA Maxwell.

District Officer’s names listed:
F Oliver, J Denman, E Richards, JA Dickson, RA Innes, JD McNab, G Savage, TD Cotter-Craig, AF Mackay.

Forester’s names listed:
K Mackay, A MacLeman, WJP Dyce, H Reid, T Baird.

Timber Merchant names listed:
H Mackay and Sons, Tain; HD Armstrong Ltd, Inverness; Z Glass and Sons Ltd, Inverness; Hugh Murray Ltd, Golspie; JD Mackay, Kildary; Hannan Bros, Conon Bridge; J and G Stewart, Turriff; James Jones and Sons Ltd, Larbert; Novar Estates Ltd; Tower Timber Ltd, Inverness and JM Macdonald Ltd.

Picture Added on 12 May 2010.

If you found this interesting, have a look at the following groups of pictures.
Forestry Areas
Forestry records and booklets