8 MAY 2018 FORESTRYJOURNAL.CO.UK
NEWS
LATEST UPDATE FROM THE GLOBAL FORESTRY INDUSTRY
SCOTLAND’S National Forest Estate now
has a bright future and a unique opportunity
to strengthen its delivery of economic,
environmental and social benefits. That
was the key message from Rural Affairs
Secretary Fergus Ewing when he undertook
his first visit to Forest Enterprise Scotland’s
(FES) headquarters in Inverness to meet
staff.
Now that the Forestry and Land
(Scotland) Bill has been passed by the
Scottish Parliament, FES will become a
new agency in April 2019 called Forestry
and Land Scotland. Under the new agency,
the National Forest Estate will have scope
to have greater flexibility in the way it is
managed for the people of Scotland.
During the visit, Mr Ewing said: “There
are very positive changes planned for the
future of forestry and the new Forestry and
Land Scotland agency will have a key role in
making this happen. Staff with enthusiasm,
pride and professionalism are the backbone
of any organisation. I’m very encouraged to
see all those traits in the staff I met today in
Inverness. FES has a reputation for rolling
up its sleeves and delivering on the ground
and this will stand them in good stead for
the new agency and beyond.”
As well as visiting the headquarters, Mr
Ewing plans to meet staff in the other local
(FES) offices around the country. Under
the new agency, there will continue to be
the existing network of local offices and a
headquarters in Inverness.
Forest Enterprise Scotland manages the
640,000-hectare National Forest Estate which
currently contributes over £1 million to the
Scottish economy each day and supports
11,000 jobs across a range of sectors.
Around 10 million visits are made to the
National Forest Estate each year, bringing
in £110 million annually to Scotland’s forest
tourism economy.Bright future
for National
Forest
Estate
ICF AWARDS 2017
SILVICULTURAL
PRIZE
THE Institute of Chartered Foresters
is delighted to have awarded Dr Don
C. Bragg, Research Forester and
Project Leader at US Forest Service,
Monticello, the 2017 Percy Stubbs,
John Bolton King and Edward Garfitt
Prize for Silviculture – for advancing
our knowledge of silviculture.
Dr Bragg has received this
prestigious award in recognition of
his paper entitled: ‘The development
of uneven-aged southern pine
silviculture before the Crossett
Experimental Forest (Arkansas, USA)’,
published in Forestry: An International
Journal of Forest Research, volume
90, issue 3. The editors believe
this is an outstanding paper which
demonstrates our knowledge of the
subject, is a model of clarity and has
provided a real challenge to the policy
and practice of silviculture.
Dr Bragg said: “I am deeply
honoured by the recognition of the
editors of Forestry for my paper on
early silvicultural work in this remote
corner of the United States. For one
who loves the history of forestry – and
loves to share what I learn – receiving
the Silviculture Prize is immensely
gratifying and encouraging.”
Dr Gary Kerr, Editor-in-Chief of
Forestry, commented: “This paper
is an engaging historical review of
the development of uneven-aged
silviculture in Arkansas, USA during
the early part of the twentieth century.
We recommend all professional
foresters in the UK set aside a couple
of hours and immerse themselves
in a delightful account, diligently
researched, of the work of two
pioneering foresters.”
The prize-winning paper is available
to read in full on the Forestry website
at https://academic.oup.com/forestry/
article/90/3/332/3092140?
searchresult=SERBIAN SPRUCE ARTICLE WINS
JUDGES’ VOTE
AN article examining Serbian spruce as a potential alternative to Sitka and Norway
spruces to build resilience in forests has won the prestigious James Cup 2018. Co-
authored by Peter Savill, Scott Wilson, Bill Mason, Richard Jinks, Victoria Stokes and
Tom Christian, the article appeared in the January 2017 issue of the Quarterly Journal
of Forestry (QJF) and was part of a Species Profile Project looking at tree species that
might be used in Britain if climate change proceeds as predicted, and in the light of the
threats posed by tree pests and diseases.
After examining its habitat and ecology, record in Britain, silviculture, growth,
genetics and provenance, and potential uses, authors concluded Serbian spruce might
have a role in eastern Britain where Sitka spruce is expected to suffer from moisture
stress, and within spaced-tree silvopastural systems, but that other alternatives were
likely to be more productive elsewhere.
The article was described by one judge as a well-illustrated article which: “contains
a vast amount of detailed information that is succinctly presented on virtually all
aspects of the species from seed origin through nursery and silvicultural operations
to timber characteristics. It could be considered a source of future reference for Picea
omorika that could be consulted on virtually any aspect of the species.”
The award was presented to Peter Savill at a meeting of the RFS Oxon and Bucks
Division by RFS President Andrew Woods.
Read the winning article and others in the Species Profile Project at http://www.rfs.org.uk/
learning/forestry-knowledge-hub/species-profiles-project/