The Woodlands Awards for 2019 have just been announced and launched, and we are already accepting entries.

Now in their third year, the aim of the Woodlands Awards (sponsored by Woodlands.co.uk) remains the same: to celebrate – and give due recognition to – all the wonderful and innovative things that are taking place in the woodlands sector year on year.

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Woodfair Trade Stands Award: “WHOO HOO! We are absolutely delighted to have won one of the Woodlands Awards, how very exciting. Thank you so much for letting us know.”

There are now 15 different Awards (see the list below). 

Some of the Awards have been specially designed to be easy-to-enter and fun. And we have added a new category this year for that very purpose: “Best Woodland Dogs”.   Just take a photo (or several), write a brief description, and send it in!

Other easy-to-enter categories include “Best Woodland Photography” and “Best Woodland Hair (and/or) Beard”. Or bring a bit of art and innovation to your woodland by creating a sculpture, however ephemeral, and taking a photo to enter the “Best Woodland Sculpture Award”.

There are prizes to be won!  For many of the Awards, the prize includes a woodland hand tool (last year this was a Samurai 330 pruning saw) and one of the Woodland Books of the Year, plus a certificate – and recognition!

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Woodland Photography Award: “Thank you ever so much. I am so pleased – never won anything before!”

Other Awards are designed to give public recognition to woodland professionals and organisations. Is there anyone, or any organisation, who you think deserves some special thanks and appreciation?  Send in a nomination! The categories include: “Best Woodland Contractors”, “Best Forest Schools”, “Best Woodland Courses”, “Best Community Woods”, and “Best Regional and National Woodland Organisations”.

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Woodland Courses Award: “Many thanks. We are delighted and honoured. We don't go trophy hunting but it's nice to be recognised.”

Yet further categories offer you the opportunity to give wider recognition to woodland endeavours and things you have found especially useful. These include “Best Woodland Blogs”, “Best Small Woodland Websites”, and “Best Woodland Tool Recommendations”.

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Small Woodland Websites Award: “This is a very nice surprise as we did not even know we had been nominated! Thank you very much.”

For full details about the 2019 Awards, see: www.woodlands.co.uk/woodlands-awards 

For a list of the winners of the 2018 Awards, see: www.woodlands.co.uk/woodlands-awards/award-winners-2018 

NOTE TO PAST WINNERS: The competition rules say that winners cannot win an award twice in the same category, but there is nothing to stop them entering (or being entered) in another category.

If you have any questions, email me: [email protected] 

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Forest Schools Award: “Thank you so much for my award. The certificate is going up on the wall!! Am absolutely thrilled to bits! All the blood, sweat and tears are starting to reap rewards!”

Full list of Woodlands Awards 2019

Awards for individuals

• Woodland Blogs
• Small Woodland Websites
• Woodland Photography
• Woodland Sculpture
• Woodland Tool Recommendations
• Whole Wood Owners’ Coordinators
• Woodland Hair (and/or Beard)
• Woodland Dogs

Awards for enterprises

• Woodland Contractors
• Forest Schools
• Woodland Courses
• Community Woods
• Woodfair Trade Stands
• Woodland Books of the Year
• Regional and National Woodland Organisations

• From the winner of a 2018 Best Woodland Sculpture Award: “Wowzers! That’s a nice email to open and very pleased!! Thank you.”

Featured photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@jamie452