Enter the Forest Photo Competition ‘Letting trees work for us’
The annual Teagasc / Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) forest photo competition is open for entries. Tom Houlihan, of the Teagasc Forestry Development Department, tells us more.
With an entry deadline of November 20th, there is still time for budding photographers to enter this exciting Forest Photo Competition and be in with a chance to win attractive prizes. With a theme of ‘Letting trees work for us’, this popular competition invites budding photographers of all ages to capture the many ways trees and forests benefit our landscapes, farms, water and biodiversity.
Teagasc is delighted with the response to this annual competition to date, with an excellent range of entries across the three competition themes in both the junior and senior categories. The current favourable autumn weather also provides an ideal opportunity to get into the forest and capture images for submission before the entry deadline.
This competition will take participants to wonderful settings where trees allow all to enjoy nature, promoting wellness, health and relaxation. The right trees, established in the right places, enhance the landscape, improve biodiversity, provide shelter, provide key timber resources and generate important additional income.
Competition themes
The photo competition focuses on three themes, participants can submit up to one image for each theme.
Theme 1: Trees for Water
In this theme, we welcome images that capture and reflect the beauty of trees and water in combination. 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 aquatic food sources and enhance diversity of such environments.
Theme 2: Trees and Forests on the Farm
Our 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
Our 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!
Who can enter?
- The competition is open to adult and junior photographers (18 and under) who are residents of the Republic of Ireland.
- Landscape orientation is strongly preferred.
- Professional photographers are not eligible.
Participants are asked to familiarise themselves with the competition terms and conditions as well as the entry requirements in advance of photograph submission.
Prizes
Prizes, kindly sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be awarded for the winner 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 in the grand finale.
Enter Today!
Click here for further details on the competition
Teagasc and DAFM thank all participants who have submitted photos to date and welcome submissions up to November 20, 2026.