26.
Epping Forest Centenary Symposium
20-21st May 1978
About 50 persons attended all or part of
this two day Symposium at the Epping Forest
Conservation Centre at High Beech. Papers
were read on the Forest's natural history and
land use, most of which are being published
in two special volumes of the Essex Naturalist.
On the first day, Oliver Rackham's paper
on the land use history was enthralling and
for the first time the Forest's lovely pollar-
ded hornbeams were put into historical
perpective. The Epping Forest Act 1878, which
this symposium commemorated, and its provisions
relating to Nature Conservation, was reviewed
by Colin Ranson who contrasted the appearance
of the Forest today with the probably inten-
tions of the Act's original draftors. Other
papers covered most aspects of the Forest's
Natural history.
The Symposium closed after a general
discussion when concern was expressed that
the Forest Authorities were not putting
sufficient emphasis on nature conservation,
even though the 100 year old Act made it their
duty to protect the pollards and underwood,
amongst other things. Probably more important,
is it not time a full time ecologist joined
their staff?
The Symposium was well organised by Paul
Moxey and his Conservation Centre staff but
what a pity the event was not more advertised.
The papers merited better audiences and may
be the Conservators would have come to hear
them all!
BOB COWLIN
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