ROBERT SANGSTER, whose passion and profession was trees, has died peacefully in Edinburgh, aged 88.

Although suffering the loss of his wife, Una, and only son, Hugh, in the last two years of his life, Robert lost neither heart nor faith and drew comfort from an interest in his three grandchildren, all living in Canada.

Born and raised in Aberdeen, where he graduated in forestry in 1933, he was selected for the Colonial Forest Service and studied tropical forestry at Oxford. After an interim year with the Forestry Commission, he became assistant conservator on forests in Uganda.

During his 17 years in Uganda, he showed his customary strength of purpose and endless capacity for hard work. He transferred in 1952 to Tanganyika (now Tanzania) as conservator in charge of forest development, becoming chief conservator of forests two years later.

Retiring from Tanzania in 1965, he returned to Scotland, joining the staff of the Scottish Woodlands Owners' Association, of which he became secretary.

He was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1966 and retired 12 years later.

Robert Sangster was a stalwart of Murrayfield Parish Church, Edinburgh, where he served as an elder for more than 25 years.