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Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards

These awards celebrate the contribution that woodlands can make to the people, environment and economic prosperity of Scotland

New Native Woods Award

The 2025 Awards Programme
is open for entries!

We are delighted to be offering the New Native Woods Award in 2025 again – entries are now open.  We will provide any updates about the Awards’ programme here on the website or through our social channels – Twitter and LinkedIn.

The competition for the prestigious New Native Woods Award is sponsored by Woodland Trust Scotland, one of Scotland’s leading environmental organisations.

Our judges’ task is to find and reward the pursuit of excellence!

What is New Native Woods Award for?

The competition is to reward new native woodland natural regeneration or planting where the exemplary use of silvicultural techniques, planning, practice and management is delivering high quality native woods.

Who can enter?

Entry for 2025 is open to new native woodland projects anywhere in Scotland with no more than 20 years’ growth i.e. if planted, no earlier than 2004/05.  There is a minimum size category of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) and must be young woodland predominantly of native species.

The woodland may have been established by planting or natural regeneration 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 2004/05  so as to include a significant proportion of young planted/regenerated trees.  If the project is an expansion of existing native woodland, the pre-existing trees may be older than 20 years.

Full entry criteria are in the entry form – see link below.

Judging

The judges aim to visit short-listed entries over the summer.  You will be contacted by the judges directly to arrange any site visit.

Prizes

£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.

How to enter New Native Woodland Award

Do you have a winning project in 2025?  Download the appropriate entry form below.  After reading the How to Enter and Guidance for Entrants, complete the entry form if your project satisfies all the criteria, referring to the Supporting Information and Images section in the guidance.  You may include relevant supporting information especially videos and photographs with your entry to help our judges in their decision making – further details stated in Guidance for Entrants.

If eligible, you may enter more than one category (up to three – please check each category form for specific questions).

Closing date for entries:

Please submit your application by email as early as possible and by 23:59 on Saturday, 31st May 2025 at the latest.  Late entries will not be considered.

More info …

See list of past winners here >>

Contact person:

Jean Nairn
Scotland’s Finest Woods
Email: admin@sfwa.co.uk
Tel: 07954 847055
Socials:  Twitter; LinkedIn

Award Sponsor: