Launch of tree-tastic photography competition

27 July 2016

City of Trees launches new photography competition celebrating the Heritage Trees, woods and wildlife of Greater Manchester.

City of Trees has launched its first ever photography competition, supported by the RSPB and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and is calling on the residents of Greater Manchester to get out in the great outdoors to capture some of the region’s great green spaces, and the creatures living within it.

Scroll down to enter the competition.

Open to budding amateurs and pro snappers, the competition aims to highlight the wealth of woodlands and wildlife across the Greater Manchester region

The competition consists of four categories; Terrific Trees – individual trees, including hedgerows and fruit trees; Fantastic Forests - woodland and forest scenes; Woodland Wildlife – including birds, bees and butterflies to larger woodland mammals and; Connecting communities – scenes of adults, children and communities enjoying trees and woodlands.

Entries can include both urban and rural settings and it is hoped the images will highlight the importance of the City region’s parks, open spaces, woodlands and trees.

Beth Kelsall, from the City of Trees team comments; Trees are often viewed as just a ‘nice to have’ but they provide a whole range of significant benefits to both people and the environment.

“We hope this competition will show how important trees, woodlands and wildlife are and why we need to plant more of them, and protect the ones we have”.

A judging panel will choose their top three images from each of the four categories, with the 12 shortlisted images going to a public vote to decide the winner in each category.

Winning entries will receive photography vouchers, a coffee table book, and an RSPB ‘Home for Nature’ and Garden Wildlife Handbook, as well as a Heritage Trees goody bag.

Sitting on the judging panel is Dr. Luke Blazejewski, an award-winning photographer and conservationist specialising in urban wildlife. He is interested in the relationship between people and nature in cities, and how society can be inspired to engage with nature on a daily basis. He comments;

This competition is a great opportunity to celebrate the biodiversity we have in Greater Manchester. Trees are not only great access points for nature in the city, but they tirelessly provide habitat for so many different species. I'm looking forward to seeing the photographs and learning about people's favourite trees!"    

The competition is also supported by the RSPB and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, who are helping to judge the Woodland Wildlife category.

Alan Wright, campaigns officer at the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside said:

“I’m sure people will have favourite species that they have seen in their gardens or in local parks and woods. This is a great excuse to get out and about with a camera to capture some of the stunning wildlife we have in Greater Manchester. Don’t just keep it to yourselves, let us see the pictures!”

Jenny Hackland from the RSPB said

“Often people don’t realise just how much wildlife there is around them, especially in urban areas.This competition is a great opportunity to explore close to where you live – whether that is your local park, green space or even your back yard, to discover the variety of nature that you share it with.”

The competition forms part of City of Trees’ Heritage Trees project which aims to celebrate, record and protect our local tree heritage - the trees, woodlands, hedgerows and orchards which are part of the fabric of our towns and cities.

Deadline for submissions is Friday 30 September and entries can be submitted online or tagged on social media using #HTphotocomp

Entry guidance

  • The photo must be taken by the person entering the competition
  • The subject of the photo must be within the Greater Manchester area
  • Submit one photo per category only; you can enter multiple categories
  • Online entry only – by tagging the photo with #HTphotocomp on social media or using the online form below 

We reserve the right to use all submitted photos – on our website, on social media and in published literature. Photos remain copyright of the photographer.