Seminar introduction

Conquering the Highlands.
Technical Problems of Afforestation in Upland Scotland, 1890-1970

Dr Jan Oosthoek

Centre for Environmental History & Policy Research Seminar
Date: 24 January 2002
Place: University of Stirling, Cottrell Building
Time: 6pm

During the First World War Britain experienced a severe timber shortage caused by the German submarine blockade. By the end of the war the decision was taken to set up a state forestry authority with the task to create a strategic timber reserve. This reserve was meant to prevent timber shortages in Britain in the case of another war or national emergency. The Forestry Commission embarked upon an ambition planting programme but soon ran into a serious problem: there was not enough suitable land for forestry available.

It was realised from the early days of the Forestry Commission that the best grounds should be reserved for agriculture, i.e. the production of food. After the two World Wars food production was even more important than the production of timber because it was needed to feed the population and it helped to reduce imports of agricultural products and thus money could be saved. The land that remained for forestry was mainly found in the remoter rural parts of Britain and in Scotland in particular. In general these areas are characterised by high elevation, the presence of peat and heather, high rainfall and high wind exposure, which meant that these grounds were not very suitable for forestry. In order to carry our the planting programme it was a necessity for the Forestry Commission to push beyond the limits of traditional estate forestry into the poorer upland grazing, heathland and moorland. It was here that the Commission was confronted with the problem that large-scale planting on these grounds far outstripped contemporary experience.

The seminar explored how foresters devised methods that made it possible to turn the Scottish uplands into forests.

©2002  K.J.W. Oosthoek