FORESTRY COMMISSION THIRTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30™ 1949 Presented pursuant to Section (3) 7 of the Forestry Act, 1945 (8 & 9 Geo. VI Ch. 35) Ordered by The House of Commons to be Printed 13th November 1950 Forestry Commission ARCHIVE LONDON HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE FOUR SHILLINGS NET F orestry C o m m issio n , 25, Savile Row, L o n d o n , W .l. 19th July, 1950. To: T h e M in ist e r of A g r icu ltu r e a n d F is h e r ie s . T he S ecretary of S tate fo r S c o tland . Gentlemen, In pursuance of Section 7 (3) of the Forestry Act, 1945, I have the honour to transmit the 30th Annual Report of the Forestry Commissioners covering the Forest Year ended 30th September, 1949. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, (Sd.) ROBINSON, Chairman. CONTENTS > \ ; r •' Pa6e REVIEW OF THE FIRST THIRTY YEARS WORK 1919-1949 a . ‘r. 7 Forest Policy and Legislation 7 Personnel of the Commission ... ... 9 Administrative Staff ... 10 Organisation ... ... 11 Finance ........................................................................... 12 Forestry Operations ... 20 State Forest Operations... 20 First Twenty Years .................................................................... 20 Acquisition of Land and Planting ... 20 Thinning ... ... 21 Roads ... ... 21 Housing ... 21 The War Period (1940-1946) ................ ... 23 Timber Supply ... 23 Forestry Operations during the War Period ... ... 25 Acquisition and Planting ... ... 25 Timber Supply ................................. ... ... 25 Roads and Housing ......................................... ... 26 Preparation for Post-War Forestry Operations... ... 26 Post-War Developments ... 27 Acquisition and Planting 1947-49 ... ... 27 Acquisition ... 27 Planting ... 28 Thinning ... 28 Housing ... 30 Roads ... 30 Private Forestry .................................................................. ... 31 The First Twenty Years ......................................... ... 31 The War Y e a r s .................................................................. ... 33 Private Planting during the War Years ... ... 33 Preparations to meet the Post-War Situation ... 33 Progress in the Post-War Years 1947-1949 ... ... 34 The Dedication Scheme ... 34 Progress of D ed ication ... 35 Thinning Subsidy ............................ ... 35 Planting Grants ... 36 Progress o f Private Planting since 1946 ... 36 The Commissioners’ Estates ............................ ... 37 Property other than Forest ............................ ... 37 The Forests ..................................................... ... 38 Species Planted ......................................... ... 39 Progress of the Plantations ............................ ... 40 Establishment ... ... ... ... ••• ••• 40 Rate of Growth ... ... ... ... ... ••• 41 Effects of the War ......................................... ... 41 Census of Woodlands ... ... ... ... ... 44 Area of Woodland ... ... 45 3 69944 Suitability for Economic Management ......................................... Estimation of V olum e .............................................................................. Seed Supply........................................................................................................ Developments in Forest Technique ..................................................... Nursery Work ........................................................................................... Planting Methods .............................................................................. Choice o f Species .............................................................................. B r a sh in g ........................................................................................................ Thinning ... Pruning ........................................................................................... ... The Weather in relation to the Formation and Protection of Plantations Diseases and Pests ........................................................................................... Damage by Animals .............................................................................. Deer ........................................................................................................ Rabbits ........................................................................................................ S q u ir r e ls....................................................................................................... Voles ........................................................................................................ Fire Protection Damage by F ir e........................................................................................... Utilisation of Home-grown Timber ..................................................... Labour, Forest Workers Holdings, and Housing ............................ Labour ........................................................................................................ Forest Workers Holdings .................................................................. H o u s in g ........................................................................................................ Education Forest Officers ........................................................................................... Imperial Forestry Institute .................................................................. Forester Training Schools .................................................................. Short Courses for Estate Woodmen .. ......................................... Northerwood House .............................................................................. Forest Workers’ Training Scheme ..................................................... Exhibits at Agricultural Shows ..................................................... Research and Experiment.............................................................................. Silvicultural Research .............................................................................. Pathology and Entomology—General ......................................... Pathology....................................................................................................... Entomology ........................................................................................... Soil Research ........................................................................................... Mycorrhiza Research .............................................................................. Miscellaneous Investigations .................................................................. Mechanisation ........................................................................................... Publications ........................................................................................................ The Library....................................................................................................... Publicity and Public Relations National Forest Parks .............................................................................. The Benmore Gardens .............................................................................. The National Pinetum .............................................................................. British Empire Forestry Conferences ..................................................... European Commission on Forestry and Forest Products ............... The World Forestry Congress .................................................................. Tribute to Staff ........................................................................................... 4 Page THE FOREST YEAR 1948-49 ... ... 92 Summary of the Year’s Work ... ... 92 The National Committees ............... ... 94 The Regional Advisory Committees ... 95 The Forestry F und............................ ... 96 Progress of Work ... ... ... ... ... 97 Acquisition and Utilisation of L a n d ............... ... 97 Forest Units ..................................................... ... 98 Land Acquired to date by Lease or Purchase ... 98 Acquisition of Land during the Year ... 99 Cultural Operations ............... ... 100 Plantations ............................ ... 100 Planting Progress to date ... ... 101 Nurseries ............................ .. 1 0 2 A r e a ......................................... ... 102 Seed Supply......................................... ... 103 Stocks of Transplants and Seedlings ... 105 Forest Protection ............... ... 106 Forest Fires ............................ ... 106 Preparation and Sale of Produce ... 107 Thinnings and Clear Fellings ... 107 Roads ......................................... ... 103 Holdings and Estate Management ... 109 Technical Supervision ...... ... 110 Labour Employed in State Forests ... 110 Private F orestry............................ ...1 1 0 Planting............... ... ... ... 110 The Dedication Scheme ... I ll Thinning Grants ... ... I ll Education ... ... ... ... ... 112 Forester Training Schools and Short Courses ... 112 Forest Workers Training Scheme ............... ... 112 Northerwood H o u s e ......................................... ... 112 Forestry Exhibits ......................................... ... 113 Grants to Educational Institutions ... ... 113 Research and Experiment ................ ...1 1 3 Sample P l o t s ....................................... H3 Silviculture ... ... ... ... ... 114 Entomology ... ... ... ... ... 114 Pathology ... ... ... ... ... 114 Other