AUSTRALIAN FORESTERS in PAPUA NEW GUINEA 1922-1975
PNGAF MAGAZINE ISSUE # 9B-5B4A2 of 17th Jan 2024
FOREST MANAGEMENT.
Eminent TPNG Forest Educator Robin Angus 1967-1976
Editor Dick McCarthy1
Photo Credit Phil Pope
NAME Robin Angus
DATE JOINED DEPT OF FORESTS 15th August 1967
WHAT WAS YOUR OCCUPATION Principal Forestry College Bulolo
LOCALITIES of WORK Bulolo
WHAT DATE DID YOU LEAVE PNG 1976
LIFE AFTER PNG Retirement
1 District Forester Bulolo 1973-1975
2 Robin Angus joined the Office of Forests as College Principal on 15th August 1967. He was the third, and longest so far, appointment of Principal of the Forestry College.
Angus graduated from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in 1939 and commenced work as a forester in Kenya in Africa in 1940. At that time, he had little knowledge that his career and the tides of life would take him from Africa to places as Fiji, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. His first posting saw him as Divisional Officer in the Coastal Region in Kenya and he held this for five years before serving another five years as Divisional Officer in the Thompson’s Falls region. He then transferred to Fiji as Conservator of Forests and served 14 years in that position. He retired from the Colonial Service and migrated to Australia where he took up the post of Technical Secretary to the Director of the Forest Research Institute for three years. Fortunately for Papua New Guinea the spell of the tropics was strong enough to bring him to his post at the College for the next nine years.
Angus had no prior service in Papua New Guinea when he was recruited as Principal. However, he brought the wealth of 27 years forestry experience and highly developed administrative ability. His tenure has provided the Government with a lengthy time of stability and continuity in the management of the Forestry College – and this is a highly appreciated contribution to the development of this country.
The College had only moved into the first of its permanent buildings two years before his arrival. During his term major expansion of classrooms and accommodation has occurred. The graduate body has risen from 25 when he took over to 400, and the number will go up by another 100 when the students who are enrolled here now, graduate over the next few years. In the period of his stewardship the College has diversified to present a range of courses, such as the Three-Year Diploma of Forests, The Certificate of Forests, the Diploma of Cartography for the Government’s Mapping services (though this was later transferred to the University of Technology) and the inclusion of National Parks training, in the curriculum.
During this term as Principal he has carried much of the duty of direction of forestry education, and while the use and care of the forest resource is the main interest, he arranged other courses which will help the graduate to become more rounded and useful employees.
These courses included Introductory Management, Extension Procedures, Handling of Explosives, First Aid, Driving etc.
As well as having made a major contribution to Papua New Guinea, the College is playing an important part in the management of the forests of the South West Pacific. While the deep concern over the period has been to develop technical and management ability in Papua New Guineans so that they will wisely use Papua New Guinea’s splendid forest resources, the College has also given support and training to our neighbouring countries of the Pacific.
Angus undertook a study tour of those countries shortly after his appointment, to get a better understanding of their needs and to develop selective courses for students from those countries. Forty-six graduates from Fiji, Solomon Islands, United States Pacific Trust Territories, Tonga, Western Samoa, and Laos have graduated from the College.
Apart from the technical aspects of forestry education Angus has fostered sporting activities –and the College is now well equipped with facilities and social and recreational outlets. The total education strategy unfolded and imparted over the period has given the students the technical know-how of their profession, to develop their characters in shouldering responsibilities and to build confidence and self -reliance.
2 Commonwealth Forestry Review 56(1):21-22, 1977