Annual Awards Programme
Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards’ Programme
The 2026 Awards Programme
– Schools and Early Years competitions open for entries
(closing date: 31 March 2026)
At Scotland’s Finest Woods, we strive to do our bit to highlight all that is best in Scotland’s management of its woods and forests, and showcase how they contribute to the wealth and well-being of Scotland’s people. Magnificent trophies and cash prizes are available to be won. We will welcome your entries for the 2026 Awards Programme in each category once they are open – as noted below.
We are very grateful to our team of volunteer judges who will visit all short-listed entrants in each prize category in the spring or summer (depending on which competitions you enter) to seek out the very best entries:
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Schools and Early Years Awards – we want to seek out Scotland’s most fun-packed schools and pre-schools’ woodland projects: £500 and superb trophies are among the goodies available to be awarded to each Schools and Early Years’ winner. Please note the closing date for these two competitions is 31 March 2026 – entries are now open.
Several case studies have been prepared about previous winners and runners-up to inspire you – please click here and download the Schools and Early Years Case Studies!
ALL OTHER CATEGORIES
For all other categories, summary information for 2026 and entry forms will be uploaded to the Award category webpage when entries are being accepted – please bear with us in the meantime and check back here and our social media. The closing date will be 31 May 2026.
New Native Woodland Award has one competition:
- new native woodland natural regeneration or planting: the Woodland Trust Scotland Trophy and £1,000 are available to be awarded to the winner.
Community Woodlands Award category entries are sought for two competitions especially for:
- small community woodland groups: £1,000 available to be awarded to the winner.
- large community woodland groups: £1,000 available to be awarded to the winner.
In addition, the Tim Stead Trophy can also be awarded to the overall Community Woodland Award category winner judged to be the best community project overall regardless of the size of woodland group.
Quality Timber Awards category has three competitions:
- The Glennon Brothers New Commercial Woods Award: where a trophy and a cash prize of £1,000 is available to be awarded to the winner.
- single stand of trees or a compartment or a small wood: the Hunter Blair Trophy and £1,000 are available to be awarded to the winner.
- whole estates or forests: the John Kennedy Trophy and £1,000 are available to be awarded to the winner.
Farm Woodland Award category has one competition:
- F&W Forestry Farm Forestry Award for Whole Farm / Croft anywhere in Scotland with the magnificent Lilburn Trophy and £1,000 ready to be won.
- Urban Forestry Award for projects within towns and cities (see entry criteria) in Scotland with the new Future Woodlands Scotland Trophy and £1,000 ready to be won.
Climate Change Champion Award category seeks entries from across Scotland with the competition open to any forest, woodland or a school / pre-school climate change related learning project. This exciting and highly topical award highlights where Scotland’s forests and woodlands can have an important role in the:
- mitigation of climate change; and/or
- adaptation to the changing climate; and/or
- sharing of knowledge/information or raising awareness (includes education) about climate change.
The superb trophy together with £1,000 are available to our Climate Change Champion.
You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for any updates.
ENTRIES:
Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2026 – documents (summary information and entry forms) will be available in due course. Please check back here. Schools and Early Years competition details are available here.
Do you have a winning project in 2026? If so, we look forward to receiving your entry. Good luck!
You can check the List of Winners for a full list of previous winners.
