‘Letting Trees Work for Us’ images competitors launched – Teagasc

15 September 2026

The annual Teagasc / Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) forest picture competitors was at the moment, Tuesday, 15 September, launched on the National Ploughing Championships by Minister of State on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with particular accountability for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins, T.D.

With a theme of ‘Letting trees work for us’, this widespread competitors invitations photographers of all ages to seize the various methods timber and forests profit our landscapes, farms, water and biodiversity.

A 3-themed competitors, specializing in a number of the key tangible advantages from timber and forests in our lives, the competitors offers an incredible alternative for budding (non-professional) photographers and picture lovers to get snapping whereas being in with an opportunity to win thrilling prizes.

This competitors will take individuals to fantastic settings the place timber permit all to take pleasure in nature, selling wellness, well being and rest. The proper timber, established in the suitable locations, improve the panorama, enhance biodiversity, present shelter, present key timber assets and generate necessary further earnings.

The themes

The picture competitors focuses on three themes that may run concurrently from September 15 to November 20, 2026. Over this era, individuals can submit as much as one picture for every theme.

Theme 1: Trees for Water

In this theme, we welcome photographs that seize and mirror the fantastic thing about timber and water together. Not solely is that this a wonderful match, however the suitable timber in the suitable locations also can have an incredible sensible impact on bettering aquatic habitats. Trees have the power to filter runoff from fields, stabilise riverbanks, regulate temperature, present aquatic meals sources and improve variety of such environments.

Theme 2: Trees and Forests on the Farm

Our second theme can apply to pictures of all points of timber on the farm, how forests and timber can complement different farming actions and improve the general panorama, how timber present shelter from wind and solar for cattle and crops, how total farm sustainability is enhanced by suitably planted timber. The farm panorama may be remodeled into an aesthetic pleasure within the presence of timber.

Theme 3: Trees and Biodiversity

Our third theme invitations individuals to seize photographs of the wealth of animal and vegetation in, and round forests. As nicely as fascinating tree species, forest habitats can maintain an unlimited vary of birds, bugs, fungi in addition to flowering and fruit bearing crops. Forests present a necessary house to a variety of photogenic species!

Prizes and coming into the competitors

Prizes, kindly sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine might be awarded for the winner in every theme and in two age classes, grownup, and junior. The prizes are €300 for every theme winner within the grownup class and €150 for every theme winner within the junior class. An additional prize of €300 (grownup class) and €150 (Junior class) might be awarded to the general winners.

Launching the competitors, Minister Collins stated: “I’m delighted to launch this 12 months’s Teagasc Forest Photo Competition, and its theme ‘Letting trees work for us.’

“Trees and forests play an necessary function proper throughout our countryside, whether or not defending water, supporting farming, offering houses for wildlife, or enhancing the locations the place we dwell 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,” Minister Collins stated.

Speaking on the competitors launch, Tom Houlihan, Acting Head of the Teagasc Forestry Development Department, stated: “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 requested to familiarise themselves with the competitors phrases and circumstances in addition to the entry necessities upfront of {photograph} submission.

Click right here to enter and for additional particulars on the competitors.

Landscape orientation is strongly most popular.

This competitors will run between fifteenth September (5pm) to twentieth November (5pm), 2026.

Teagasc and DAFM very a lot stay up for viewing all pictures submitted.

Photo caption: Minister of State on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with particular accountability for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins, T.D., launched the annual Teagasc/Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) forest picture competitors at the moment, Tuesday, 15 September, on the National Ploughing Championships. 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 on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with particular accountability for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture and Liam Herlihy, Chairperson Teagasc.