The leader of the team which produced the definitive map of all the woods in Britain that are open to the public has retired after 39 years with the Forestry Commission.
Martyn Potton joined the Commission as a Cartographic Assistant and worked his way up the career ladder to become one of the country’s foremost authorities on woodland maps.
He was the lead Geographic Information System (GIS) contact for the joint Forestry Commission/Woodland Trust project, Woods for People, which mapped all woods in Britain that are open to the public.
The computer-based tool – which any motorist looking up the quickest route for a car journey on the internet will be familiar with – combines geographical features with other types of data to produce a variety of accurate maps.
It’s a far cry from the days when Martyn, who lives in Rhyl, joined the Commission at its Chester office back in 1971.
During his 39-year career he saw mapping techniques become ever more sophisticated and had spells in England and Scotland before arriving in Wales in 2007.
His work was recognised in 1991 when his team won the British Cartographic Society Design Award, whose winners in other years include the Atlas of Antarctica and the mapping of Hong Kong.
Martyn, who is originally from Chester, said, “Maps can offer all sorts of insights which help Forestry Commission Wales to manage the Welsh Assembly Government’s woodlands more effectively and deliver better value to the people of Wales.
“The state-of-the-art technology which FC Wales uses to produce maps today provides the public with more accurate information which enables them to get the most out of our wonderful woodlands.”
Since moving to Wales, Martyn was responsible for developing the maps used by the Grants and Regulations team to record all the woodlands which have received grants from FC Wales.
These can be seen on the Map Viewer on the FC Wales website, which land managers can also use to see if they have land which has been designated as suitable for Glastir woodland creation grant.
The grant was launched in October 2010 and is available to all land managers in Wales who want to plant trees on more than 0.25 hectares of land designated as suitable.
It includes an establishment grant over three years, a fencing grant and a payment for 15 years which compensates the landowner for the loss of agricultural income.
Presenting Martyn with his long service certificate, FC Wales Operations Manager Rachel Chamberlain said, “The maps that Martyn has developed over the years enable our staff, and other organisations, to see where managed woodlands are providing environmental benefits across Wales.
“This is key to working out where we need to concentrate our efforts in the future.”
For more information on grants for new tree planting, ring 0300 068 0300 and ask for the FC Wales Glastir Woodland team, e-mail [email protected] or look online www.forestry.gov.uk/glastirwoodland
