School of Forestry, Afforestation, Etc. 



In 1882 the Society strongly urged the creation of a British 

 School of Forestry ; and with a view of stimulating public interest 

 in the matter, a Forestry Exhibition, chiefly organised by the 

 Council, was held in Fdinburgh m 1884. 



In 1890, the Society instituted a Fund for the purpose of 

 establishing a Chair of Forestry at the University of Edinburgh, 

 and a sum of ^^584, 3s. lod. has since been raised by the Society 

 and handed over to the University. Aided by an annual subsidy 

 from the Board of Agriculture, which the Society was mainly 

 instrumental in obtaining, a Course of Lectures at the University 

 has been delivered without interruption since 1889. The Society 

 also drew up a Scheme for the Establishment of a State Model or 

 Demonstration Forest for Scotland, which was laid before the 

 Departmental Committee on British Forestry, and in their Report 

 the Committee recommended the establishment of a Demonstra- 

 tion Area and the provision of other educational facilities in Scotland. 



The Government, in 1907, acquired the Estate of Inverliever in 

 Argyllshire; and while this cannot be looked on as a Demonstra- 

 tion Forest, it is hoped that it may prove to be the first step in 

 a scheme of afforestation by the State of unwooded lands in 

 Scotland. Meantime Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, for a part of 

 whose woods at Raith a Working-Plan is in operation, very kindly 

 allows Students to visit them. 



After the Development Act came into operation, the Council 

 passed a Resolution urging that the Government should create a 

 Board of Forestry, with an Office in Scotland, where the largest 

 areas of land suitable for Afforestation are situated, which would 

 provide Demonstration Forests and Forest Gardens, and would 

 carry out, as an essential preliminary to any great scheme of 

 National Afforestation, a Survey of all areas throughout the 

 country suitable for commercial planting. The Society's policy 

 for the development of Forestry in Scotland has since been fully 

 laid before the Development Commission. As a result of these 

 representations, the Secretary for Scotland appointed a Com- 

 mittee to report regarding the acquisition and uses of a Demon- 

 stration Forest Area, and any further steps it is desirable to take in 

 order to promote Silviculture in Scotland. The Committee reported 

 in the beginning of 1913, and the Society is pressing the Board 

 of Agriculture for Scotland, being the Department now con- 

 cerned with Scottish forestry, to give effect to the Committee's 

 recommendations and to encourage the inception of schemes of 

 afforestation. The Society has also published a valuable Report 

 on Afforestation— including a Survey of Glen Mor — prepared for 

 it by Lord Lovat and Captain Stirling, which, it is hoped, may form 

 the basis of the general Forest Survey advocated by the Society. 



Resolutions in favour of the acquisition of part of Ballogie, on 

 Deeside, and Supplementary Areas in other districts for Demonstra- 

 tion purposes, and of the creation of a Department of Forestry for 

 Scotland with a separate annual grant, were passed at the Annual 

 Meeting in 1914. 



