If you go down to the woods today, be sure to bring our camera with you, or your mobile phone at least. The Teagasc Forestry Development Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), have launched a photo competition on the theme of the multiple benefits provided by trees and forests.

‘Trees in our lives’ is a three-themed competition focusing on some of the key tangible benefits from trees and forests in our lives. This competition provides a great opportunity for budding (non-professional) photographers and photo enthusiasts to get snapping while being in with a chance to win exciting prizes.

This competition can take you to wonderful settings where trees allow you to enjoy nature, promoting wellness and relaxation. Trees and forests provide multiple services for people, ranging from carbon storage and protection of water quality to increased income and employment opportunities, many in rural areas. The right trees, established in the right places, enhance the landscape, improve biodiversity, provide shelter and generate additional income.

The ‘Trees in our lives’ photo competition focuses on three themes that will run concurrently from 19^th May to the 14^th July 2025. Over this period, participants can submit up to one image for each theme.

Theme 1: Trees and Water: In this theme, images that capture and reflect the beauty of trees and water in combination are welcome. Not only is this a beautiful match, but the right trees in the right places can also have a tremendous practical effect on improving aquatic habitats. Trees have the ability to filter runoff from fields, stabilise riverbanks, regulate temperature, provide food sources and enhance diversity of such environments.  

Theme 2: Trees on the Farm: The second theme can apply to images of all aspects of trees on the farm - how forests and trees can complement other farming activities and enhance the overall landscape, how trees provide shelter from wind and sun for farm animals and crops, how overall farm sustainability is enhanced by suitably planted trees. The farm landscape can be transformed into an aesthetic pleasure in the presence of trees. 

Theme 3: Trees and Biodiversity: The third theme invites participants to capture images of the wealth of animal and plant life in and around forests. As well as captivating tree species, forest habitats can sustain a vast range of birds, insects, fungi as well as flowering and fruit bearing plants.  Forests provide an essential home to a diversity of photogenic species!  

Prizes, kindly sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will be awarded for the winner and runner up in each theme and in two age categories, adult and junior. The prizes are €300 for each theme winner in the adult category and €150 for each theme winner in the junior category. A further prize of €300 (adult category) and €150 (Junior category) will be awarded to the overall winners. Runner up prizes are €100 (adult) and €50 (junior).

Speaking at the launch of the competition, Tom Houlihan, Acting Head of the Teagasc Forestry Development Department, said: “We are delighted to co-organise this highly popular initiative again in 2025. Our forests provide a wide range of benefits and, as with other years, we invite and encourage participants of all ages to submit good quality and attractive digital images that highlight some of these multiple benefits”. 

Details on how to enter are at www.teagasc.ie/forestphotos25