Teagasc and DAFM launch annual forest photography competition ‘Letting Trees Work for Us’

Pictured from (l to r): are Frances McHugh, Tom Houlihan, Paul Butler; Forestry Development Department, Teagasc; Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director; Niall Collins, T.D. Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture and Liam Herlihy, Chairperson Teagasc.

This very popular competition, with a 2026 theme of “Letting trees work for us”, invites photographers of all ages to capture the many ways trees and forests benefit our landscapes, farms, water, and biodiversity.
‘Letting trees work for us’ is a three-themed competition focusing on some of the key tangible benefits from trees and forests in our lives. It 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 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.
The ‘Letting Trees Work for Us’ photo competition focuses on three themes that will run concurrently from 15^th September to the 20^th November, 2026. Over this period, 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!
Prizes, kindly sponsored by DAFM, 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.
Launching the competition, Minister Collins said: “I am delighted to launch this year’s Teagasc Forest Photo Competition, and its theme ‘Letting Trees Work for Us.’ Trees and forests play an important role right across our countryside, whether protecting water, supporting farming, providing homes for wildlife, or enhancing the places where we live and work. The three competition categories, Trees for Water, Trees and Forests on the Farm, and Trees for Biodiversity, bring those benefits to life and give people an opportunity to show, through their own photographs, the many ways trees are working for us every day. I would encourage people of all ages to take part, get out into their local area, and capture what trees and forests mean to them.”
Speaking at the competition launch, Tom Houlihan, Acting Head of the Teagasc Forestry Development Department, said: “We are delighted to co-organise this highly popular competition again in 2026. We have had brilliant responses in recent years, with excellent digital images submitted from across the country, covering each of the themes of focus. This is also a great time of year to get out into nature and capture images, and we welcome all photo submissions, including from junior entries and schools.” 
Participants are asked to familiarise themselves with the competition terms and conditions as well as the entry requirements in advance of photograph submission.
The following link can be used to enter the competition: www.teagasc.ie/forestphotos
Landscape orientation is strongly preferred.
This competition will run between 15^th September (5pm) to 20^th November (5pm), 2026.
Teagasc and DAFM very much look forward to viewing all photos submitted.