ICYMI: Celebrating 100 years of forestry in Inverness – pictures
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DEMONSTRATIONS of vintage tools and displays of virtual reality technology were among the attractions at a forestry industry showcase in Inverness to mark 100 years of the Forestry Act.
About 250 people attended the free family-friendly event, Forestry: Past, Present and Future, at the Scottish School of Forestry in Balloch.
During the day, there were interactive workshops for all ages including bushcraft activities, forest selfies and a chainsaw challenge,
There were also displays from the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, Forestry and Land Scotland, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, Trees for Life and Christie Elite, and informal talks from industry leaders.
Staff from the School of Forestry also led guided walks which included tree and wildlife identification.
Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Government’s rural economy secretary, attended the event.
Amanda Bryan, head of the school, thanked everyone who attended the event which had generated positive feedback.
“The showcase was an opportunity to bring the sector together to discuss the past, present and future of the forestry industry,” she said.
“It would not have been possible without the support of Lantra Scotland, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, the Royal Scottish Forestry Society, Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish Forestry, Community Woodlands Association, Forest Memories, The Sawdust Fusiliers, James Jones, Tilhill Forestry, Cawdor Forestry, Christie Elite and many individuals who gave of their own time.”
The Forestry Act led to the establishment of the Forestry Commission, now Forestry and Land Scotland, to restore the country’s woods and forests.
Today, trees cover nearly 18 per cent of land in Scotland, compared to just 5 per cent in the 1920s.
