CURRENT NOTICES
Resurfaced Forest Car Park
See the before and after photos in our Gallery!
Highland 2007
DFT's participitation in Highland Council's Year of Culture 2007 has been completed. The sculpture trail has eleven sculptures in different media by artists associated with Caithness or the Highland area. A large woodland xylophone has also been made as part of the project. This is proving to be a big attraction for young and not so young. Throughout the year various workshops and participatory activities were organised. The big successes were the visit of the theatrical group tePOOKa and the workshops Dark Skies which was run by scientists of the Royal Observatory of Scotland and the Glasgow Science Centre.
Forthcoming Events 2008
Bower Busy Bees Playgroup are having a sponsored walk in the forest on Tuesday 29th April.
Dounreay Apprentices in the Forest June 2008
Once again the Dounreay Apprentices will be assisting the forester with various jobs and helping to implement the UKAEA in "helping restore the environment". This will be the sixth consecutive year the apprentices will be on site making a much valued contribution to the work of DFT.
Ranger Service Summer Events Programme 2008
Saturday 7th June - 10.30 onwards - Woodlands Creations. Meet at Dunnet Forest. Make art and sculpture in Dunnet Forest. Geared for any age and families. Under 8s must have adult with them. Event runs all day but join and leave when you wish.
Wednesday 11th June - 2.00 pm - Butterfly walk - Meet at Carpark north Dunnet Bay. Join the ranger in a walk to monitor the local butterflies and spot the rare small blue butterfly.
Tuesday 1st July - Gruffalo - 11.00 am - Meet at Dunnet Forest car park - Wildlife detectives - Find out what other creatures use this forest with us.
Thursday 3rd July - 2.00 pm -Dunnet: beach dunes. Explore these different habitats and find out about the changes taking place in the community woodland.
Tuesday 8th July - 11.00 am - Who Dunnit at Dunnet. Meet at Seadrift Carpark North Dunnet bay. Be a nature detective and solve the wildlife crimes.
Thursday 31st July - 7.00pm - 9.00 pm. Dunnet Bay evening walk. Meet at Dunnet Bay Carpark north. Explore these different habitats and find out about the changes taking place in the community woodland, beach, dunes and forest.
Sunday 21st September - 10.30 am. Fungi foray and natures larder. Meet dunnet forest car park. Discover how fungi operate as natures recyclers within this coniferous woodland. Then have lunch at the Dunnet pavilion and see what else there is in natures larder.
For further information on these ranger events, contact Mary Legg, North Caithness ranger, Tel 01847 821531/07748574651, Email mary.legg@highland.gov.uk
Caithness Countryside Volunteers
The volunteers will be working in the forest doing some maintenance work on Saturday 14th June.
On Sunday 20th July they will be back in the Dunnet area undertaking a mixture of wildflower planting.
The group is always looking to recruit new members. If you enjoy the outdoors, do not mind getting your hands dirty and are interested in joining, please contact - Marina Swanson, Highland Council Ranger at Bruce Building, Sinclair Terrace, Wick (Telephone 01955 607758) or email: marina.swanson@highland.gov.uk
Annual General Meeting
The AGM of Dunnet Forestry Trust will be held in May. Date and venue to be confirmed later.
The current Board is:
Will Menzies - Chairman, Jean Barnett - Vice Chair, Stuart Young - Treasurer, Maureen Clarkson - Company Secretary, Douglas MacCowan - Director with responsibility for safety issues, Kathleen Lillyman, Jean Clasper, Craig Omand, Andrew Chadwick.
Artists participating in Highland Council Year of Culture 2007
1. Henry Clyne (1930-2006) was born in Caithness. He was the third son of a well known farming family and was educated at Wick High School before attending Edinburgh College of Art where he studied sculpture and was awarded a prestigious Andrew Grant Scholarship. He taught sculpture in a number of art colleges in England before finally retiring as head of sculpture at Winchester. Many of his works are in private and civil collections throughout Europe, America and Japan. He studied the old established techniques of Japanese ceramicists which he mastered so well that he was frequently invited to teach in Japan.
2. Peter Bowsher is a forestry consultanty in Moffat. His hobby is chainsaw carving at which he is most adept. He gave a demonstration at the first Dunnet Forest Trust Open Day in 2004 when he carved a Buzzard which is now the property of DFT. His subject matter tends to be from the wild life which he sees in the forests where he works.
3. Callum Young was a professional long serving soldier who had a remarkable talent for woodcarving. He died in Dunnet in 2006 while living with his brother, Treasurer Stuart Young. DFT is indebted to Stuart for allowing one of Callum's designs to be reproduced on a larger and more fitting scale to suit the H2007 project.
4. Andrew Chadwick lives at Forss. He works as an engineer and is currently employed by UKAEA at Dounreay. Andrew's hobby is woodcarving on any scale. He has a real feeling for wood, is very talented and passionate about it, its properties and all that he can shape with it. He will reproduce Callum Young's design as well as complete some chainsaw carvings of his own design. He gave a demonstration of chainsaw carving at the DFT Open Day in 2006.
5. Henry Fossbrooke is a geography graduate of Edinburgh University but is now forester in charge of Milton Community Woodland near Kildary. Henry is a real "lad o' pairts". He is highly intelligent, is very well handed, very musical and a great entertainer and communicator. DFT commissioned him to make a xylophone which is thought to be the largest woodland xylophone in Scotland.
6. George Legg lives in Barrock. He is a sculptor who trained in Edinburgh College of Art and currently teaches in the art department of Wick High School. His interest in the natural world has encouraged him to work a lot with living wood such as willows.
7. Liz O'Donnell lives in Brough. She trained as an art teacher in Liverpool and until recently taught in North Caithness primary schools. She is a very talented and imaginative teacher who has a great way with youngsters. The Totem Poles she made with local children, using scrap materials and bright colours, with "the Cirttars" has been much admired. Requests for a repeat performance have already been voiced by the public.
8. Tamara Hicks lives in Scarfskerry. She was educated at Thurso High School and Gray's College of Art in Aberdeen from where she recently graduated. Her interests are wide and while she trained in 3D design she is now working in silver, ceramics, steel and experimenting with Caithness flagstone and glass.
9. Alice Buttress runs a studio in Carrbridge. She graduated from Gray's College of Art and now does chainsaw carving, ceramics and enamelling. Her work on "The Owl" in the forest has been much admired.