New Native Woods Award
We are delighted to be running Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards in 2023 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 it 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 2023 is open to new native woodland projects anywhere in Scotland that must have had at least five years’ minimum of growth and no more than 20 years’ growth i.e. if planted, that happened in or before the 2017/18 planting season and no earlier than 2002/2003. 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 at least 5 years ago and within the last 20 years i.e. between 2003 and 2018, 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 during April/May. You will be contacted by the judges directly regarding any site visit during April – early May.
Prizes
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 special commemorative wooden display plaque recording their achievement.
Award Ceremony
The 2023 prize-giving awards ceremony event will be confirmed after the March closing date. The Awards’ Ceremony is likely to coincide with Friday of the Royal Highland Show i.e. 23rd June 2023, for those invited to attend in person and able to do so.
How to enter New Native Woodland Award
A simple, short entry form is to be completed with basic location, contact details and a statement of no more than 500 words to say why you think your entry would make a worthy winner of this prestigious award and be an exemplar to others. Any supporting information such as visuals (e.g. photographs or weblinks), a summary management plan, map(s), publicity leaflet(s) and short video(s) if available that will help our judges make their decision can be provided.
- download NNW Entry Form & Information (Word) version or
- download NNW Entry Form & Information (PDF version)
Closing date for entries: now closed for 2023. Any late entries will not be considered.
More info …
See list of past winners here >>
Contact person:
Jean Nairn
Scotland’s Finest Woods
c/o 1 Ravelston House Loan, Edinburgh EH4 3LY
Tel: 07954 847055
Email: admin@sfwa.co.uk
Socials: Twitter; LinkedIn
Award partner:
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