Time to celebrate our woodlands

A contest has begun to find and celebrate Scotland’s finest and most inspiring woodlands – a competition in which Perthshire has featured in the past.

Applications have opened for Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards, an annual opportunity to reward and showcase the contribution of woods and forests to the health and wealth of communities across Scotland.

Perthshire has been on the winners list before with woodland at Jerah, near Sheriffmuir, and Errochty Forest being recognised in the past.

“We have some of the world’s finest-quality forests and woods in Scotland and our annual programme sets out to find them and reward them for their excellence,” said Angela Douglas, executive director of Scotland’s Finest Woods.

“That involves showcasing everything, from educating children about the wonder of woodlands to rewarding highlyskilled forest management, excellent community woodland projects, superb new native and commercial woodland creation and the production of quality timber.

“There is wonderful work going on across Scotland – but it is often done by modest people, away from the public gaze.

“The awards aim to seek out our woodland stars and give them the recognition they deserve.”

To find out how to enter and compete for £7,000 of prize money, go to sfwa.co.uk