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Confessions of a Woodman
Part two of the reminiscences takes us to Low Dalby.
1977, and I had spent five happy years at Ganton, but as my life has always been since leaving Hull, I was ready for a move and a change.


Tyre Pressure Control
Working smoothly, under less pressure
There has been a great deal of publicity surrounding the merits of tyre pressure control systems for use within the Scottish timber haulage sector.


The American Dream
A windblown site at the north end of the Isle of Skye, a contractor from Aberdeenshire, timber being shipped to southern Ireland and the harvester hailing from Wisconsin…




Revolutionary
Forestry Journal recently attended the second John Deere Forestry global press event, which included the revealing ceremony of John Deere’s new E-series wheeled harvesters and forwarders.


Woodwise - The view from the sharp end
Chainsaws, don’t you just love them? Well, I do. I’ve lost count now of how many I’ve owned over the years, mostly from the same orange stable though. I have tried other makes but somehow could never quite get on with them.


The KWF Tagung German Show
The KWF Tagung is a big show, which is to be expected, since forestry is taken very seriously in Germany. It attracted some 43,000 visitors, who came not only to see the various stands – there were over 500 exhibitors – but also to take part in seminars and to take a ride on a minibus through the nearby forests to see various demonstrations.



Capel Celebration
On April 25 and 26, the two hottest days of the year so far, Capel Manor College hosted its sixth Celebration of Trees. The Celebration, sponsored by Husqvarna, is the first event of the show season in the arboriculture and countryside industries’ calendar.

Men of Knoydart
If you have never heard of it, get your road atlas out and look for Inverie, Knoydart. To make it a bit easier, look for the fishing port of Mallaig, approximately 30 miles west of Fort William, and then run your finger north across the Atlantic for a further 6 miles.

Confessions of a Woodman
Late summer, 1972. I was just about to make a move that would change the whole of the rest of my life. As it was such a big move you would imagine I could remember the date more clearly. Well I can’t, so there you go.

 

On the dot...
There’s plenty of room in the new Valmet harvester cab. Valmet addresses some crucial areas in its product range.In the middle of last month, Valmet invited the international forestry press to a snowy Umeå, in northern Sweden, to view the latest additions to their range.

Meeting the Minister
The meeting with Michael Russell MSP, the Minister for the Environment who has responsibility for Forestry, was arranged by FCA Chairman Donald Maclean in response to the frustration felt by both himself and the membership regarding the failure of ConFor and the Forestry Commission to recognise and consult with the contracting sector of the forest industry.

Chippers - Market Round Up
Woodchippers vary in size, from machines that can chip large diameter roundwood with outputs of over 100 tonnes per hour, to the small, hand-fed chipper for dealing with arboricultutal waste. Chipping can be carried out at any stage – on site or at a fixed location, but there are many features to consider before buying.

Timber Market Report
Global uncertainty, peaks and troughs – and an urgent need for the Commission to start doing what it was meant to do in the first place. In a ‘normal’ year the UK forest products industry eases into the Christmas period with a slackening of demand before gearing up for the spring upturn.

To Hell and Back
Sitting in the office of his Essexbased contracting yard, just off Junction 7 of the M11 – not a place best known for its forestry – John Fish, owner of Treewood Harvesting, is a man who (at age 48) is finally at ease with himself and the choices he has had to make.

Railway Cutting
On 18 March GreenMech held a launch of their new Multi-Task 120 unit which features their patented Safe-Trak technology. As launches go, I have been to a few but GreenMech take some beating, as they never fail to put on a well planned and interesting day for their guests, and this one was no exception.