Teagasc launches forestry photo competition – ‘Celebrating Our Forests’

The Teagasc Forestry Development Department is delighted to launch a forest photo competition which will run over October and November, 2020. ‘Celebrating Our Forests’ will highlight some of the many benefits provided by our forests. It provides a great opportunity for budding (non-professional) photographers to get snapping right away and be in with a chance to win exciting prizes, with the overall winning prize valued at €1,000.

Teagasc launches forestry photo competition – ‘Celebrating Our Forests’

Forests can provide a wonderful setting that connect us with nature in these challenging times. Commencing on October 2, 2020, the ‘Celebrating Our Forests’ competition will focus on four different forest themes over four consecutive fortnightly periods. At the end of each period, the winner for that theme will be chosen and will receive a prize of €250 in vouchers. Each winner will also go forward to a Grand Final on December 8, when the overall competition winner will be in line for a further €750 in vouchers.

Have you a favourite forest view in your local area? To kick off the competition, the first theme, ‘Forest landscapes’, will run from October 2 to October 15 (see table below). Suitable digital forest landscape images can be by emailed up to 5pm on the October 15 deadline.  

     Eligible competition entry dates/times for each of the four themes

Over the following weeks, the competition will feature three further forestry themes, again over fortnightly periods. These themes include ‘Trees on the farm’ (entries accepted between October 16 and October 29), ‘Forest wildlife and plants (October 30 to November 12) and ‘Enjoying our forests’ as the final theme between November 13 and November 26. Please note the specific eligible entry timeline for each theme.

Speaking at the launch of the Teagasc ‘Celebrating our Forests’ competition, Dr Nuala Ní Fhlatharta said: ’We are very pleased to organise this competition, particularly appropriate with the growing interest in woodland activities. The competition invites the submission of good quality digital images capturing some of the wider benefits of well-planned and well-designed forests. Dr Ní Fhlatharta added: ‘Our forests deliver many benefits, including landscape and biodiversity enhancement, provision of great places for recreation and valuable resources on the farm.  We hope to showcase a range of suitable photos that reflect the four themes on our website on a fortnightly basis’.

Individual participants may submit a maximum of one photo separately for each of the competition themes. Submission is by email (only) from October 2, and should include a caption and brief description to the dedicated email address forestphotos@teagasc.ie.

Participants are asked to log onto the forestry section of the Teagasc website www.teagasc.ie/forestphotos and familiarise themselves with the competition terms and conditions as well as the entry requirements in advance of photograph submission.

Teagasc greatly looks forward to viewing all photos submitted.