New Native Woods

Who can enter the New Native Woods Award?

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Entry is open to new native woodland projects anywhere in Scotland with no more than 20 years’ growth i.e. if planting happened on no earlier than 2005/2006 growing season, and at least 3 years.  The area of new woodland created must be 1 hectare (2.5 acres) or more in size and predominantly of native species. 

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The woodland may have been established by natural regeneration or planting on previously bare land or on land that has previously had tree cover of predominantly non-native species, i.e. it has been converted to new native woodland. Projects should have been established within the last 20 years, i.e. from 2005/2006 growing season onwards to include a significant proportion of young regenerated/planted trees. Where the project is an expansion of existing native woodland, the pre-existing trees may be older than 20 years.

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Definitions

• Recently regenerated/planted trees - trees already with up to 20 years growth i.e. planted no earlier than 2005/2006 planting season
• Predominantly native - around 75% or more of the trees should be native.
• Native - species that arrived in Scotland without human assistance as listed in Table 1 of Scottish Forestry’s guidance paper available: here.

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Why enter - the prize

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A £1,000 cash prize is usually available for the winning project.  In addition, the prestigious Woodland Trust Scotland Trophy for New Native Woods will be awarded at the discretion of the judges with custody for one year.  The winner and any commended entries will receive a certificate and a commemorative wooden plaque recording their achievement.

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Supporting information and images

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You may include relevant supporting information especially images with your entry to help our judges in their decision making.  Examples can include: 

• Materials can be previously published documents such as a summary management plan; maps - species’ distribution / vegetation pre-woodland establishment / soils; publicity leaflet(s).
• Photographs – up to 10 photographs. Please include people and / or scenic views in your images.  
• Videos – up to 3 videos and each one can be up to 60 seconds in length.  Any videos should be a maximum file size of 5MB and should be submitted as a hyper- or downloadable link (e.g. YouTube or WeTransfer).  
• Please confirm that any photos or videos can be used for publicity purposes or clearly state otherwise.

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Publicity

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An objective of Scotland’s Finest Woods and its partners is to showcase entrants as exemplars of good practice so as to encourage other projects in future years.  By entering the competition, entrants are accepting that their woodland may be used as an example of good practice in post-competition publicity, and as may be agreed with the entrant, in other ways.

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In order to maximise the potential for obtaining publicity, entrants are invited to provide publication quality photography as well as videos, if available.  Guidance is given in the section above about submitting images and videos for those who wish to do so.  Please confirm that photos or videos can be used for publicity purposes or clearly state otherwise.

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How to enter

• Head to the Entry Form on the Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards’ website:  www.sfwa.co.uk/enter-awards
• After reading the Guidance, complete the entry form if your project satisfies all the entry criteria.  
• The form doesn’t save anything until you hit Submit. It's a good idea to prepareyour answers in Docs or Notes first so you don’t lose anything, then copy and paste when you’re ready to submit.
• Completed entry form and any supporting information including videos and images to be up to 10MB per entry.  Please submit any videos as a hyper or downloadable link (e.g. YouTube or WeTransfer).
• If eligible, you may enter more than one category (up to 3 categories).
• Statement about AI - please state if AI has been used in the drafting of your entry.
• Please submit your application as early as possible by 23:59 on Sunday 31 May 2026 at the latest.
• Our judging panel will consider entries and make awards at their discretion.  If your project is shortlisted, expect the judges to arrange a site visit with your nominated contact person over the summer.  Please include second contact details if your main contact will be away for any extended periods over the summer.

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Award Ceremony

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The 2026 prize-giving awards ceremony will be confirmed after the closing date.  It is anticipated that the Awards’ Ceremony will be held during National Tree Week in November 2026, for those invited to attend in person and able to do so.  

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Further Information

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For more information, please see www.sfwa.co.uk or contact:  Jean Nairn, Executive Director, Scotland's Finest Woods Awards



• Email:admin@sfwa.co.uk
• Tel: 07954 847055 (leave message)
• Socials:  Twitter; LinkedIn

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