Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards

Entries are now open for Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards, which strive to reward and showcase the best of Scotland’s forests and woods. 

If you’re a land manager, community group, farmer or school in the rainforest zone, and you’re restoring and expanding native woodlands, this is your opportunity to share your experiences and inspire others. The closing date is Sunday, 31 March, so there’s lots of time to get your entry in.

Jean Nairn, Executive Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods, explains more about the awards, and the different categories, below.

New Native Woods winner 2023 - Martyn's Wood, Crannich, Isle of Mull. Credit - Robin Sedgwick

Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards are back for 2024 and this year four key areas form the focus of the prestigious Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards – climate, community, forestry and farming.

Last year there was lots of community involvement, from both young and old, in the awards and same is expected again in 2024.

There are 11 trophies up for grabs in six categories: Farm Woodland, Community Woodlands, New Native Woodland, Quality Timber, Climate Change Champion, and Schools and Early Years.

Because of the breadth of the awards, anyone with a high-quality project can enter, whether that be a school or pre-school nursery, a forestry business – small or large, an expert forester, farmer or crofter, or a community woodland.

The winner of the Woodland Trust Scotland Trophy for New Native Woods last year was Martyn's Wood, Crannich, Isle of Mull – which created an area of biodiversity on inhospitable ground and was planted in the memory of the nephew of owner Robin Sedgwick.

The great work of communities was highlighted last year by the winners of the Tim Stead Trophy for the overall Community Woodland Award – Friends of Almondell & Calderwood with West Lothian Council for Almondell Woods.

Work and fun at Almondell. Credit - Nick Drainey

A brilliant example of agroforestry using pigs won David Carruth the Scottish Woodlands Farm Woodland Trophy for Young People in 2023 for his work at Brodoclea, Dalry, North Ayrshire for The Future Forest Company.

And the winner of the Scottish Forestry Early Years’ Trophy was Bushcraft Bairns at Comrie Croft, Perthshire who created a Forest School setting that nurtures connection with nature through play.

Across Scotland we know there are inspirational people who are making a difference through their commitment to the woodlands they own, manage and volunteer in. This is the chance to celebrate them.

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on Sunday March 31, 2024. For full details, criteria and entry forms see: www.sfwa.co.uk