Forestry Commission National Forest Park Guide; Border Guide, 1958 - cover illustration by George Mackley
This is the front cover to the Border Forest Park one of a series of guides were issued for by the state owned Forestry Commission and that included The Border, Snowdonia, Cambrian Forests, Glamorgan Forests, The Forest of Dean & Wye Valley, Westbirt Arboretum, the New Forest and Bedgebury Pinetum.
At the time these forests were being managed to redevelop the nation's home timber stocks after wartime depletion and the conifer monoculture that often prevailed was to be heavily criticised. That said the Forest Parks, along the National Parks, were and still are a remarkable national asset for leisure and recreation.
This front cover is dominated by a very period scene of foresters amongst the Border landscape and still using traditional methods of felling and transportation at a time when mechanisation of both activities would have been in full swing. The artist is the wonderful George Edward Mackley (1900 - 1983) who, in my opinion, is one of the best of the many British mid-20th century artists who rediscovered wood engravings. This is a boxwood engraving and even allowing for printing and reproduction it is a fine piece of work. Oh that modern guides, where issued, still were of this standard of artistry and production.
Forestry Commission National Forest Park Guide; Border Guide, 1958 - cover illustration by George Mackley
This is the front cover to the Border Forest Park one of a series of guides were issued for by the state owned Forestry Commission and that included The Border, Snowdonia, Cambrian Forests, Glamorgan Forests, The Forest of Dean & Wye Valley, Westbirt Arboretum, the New Forest and Bedgebury Pinetum.
At the time these forests were being managed to redevelop the nation's home timber stocks after wartime depletion and the conifer monoculture that often prevailed was to be heavily criticised. That said the Forest Parks, along the National Parks, were and still are a remarkable national asset for leisure and recreation.
This front cover is dominated by a very period scene of foresters amongst the Border landscape and still using traditional methods of felling and transportation at a time when mechanisation of both activities would have been in full swing. The artist is the wonderful George Edward Mackley (1900 - 1983) who, in my opinion, is one of the best of the many British mid-20th century artists who rediscovered wood engravings. This is a boxwood engraving and even allowing for printing and reproduction it is a fine piece of work. Oh that modern guides, where issued, still were of this standard of artistry and production.