Forest Europe (the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe) is pleased to invite you to the second edition of the Show Off Your Forest Photography Contest. The central theme is the protective role of forests, and how, in turn, we can protect them.

Forests provide us with food, energy and shelter, as well as a wide range of products and immaterial benefits. They are home to thousands of animal and plant species and form one of nature’s most spectacular landscapes.

Moreover, forests help to prevent soil loss and erosion, preserve drinking water resources, stabilize stream banks and sand dunes, and reduce noise pollution. They also absorb carbon from the atmosphere, and are therefore vital in the fight against climate change.

But forests need protecting too. Forests face many threats that could compromise the benefits they provide – both natural threats such as pests, diseases, and storms, and human-induced such as air and water pollution, illegal logging, urbanization, man-made fires, and fragmentation. Goods, services and protection provided by forests could be at risk if they are not adequately protected and sustainably managed.

There are two categories:

• Mobile - Photo taken with a mobile phone or tablet camera
• Camera - Photo taken with a digital camera

You may upload a maximum of five photos.

There is no entry fee.

Eligibility

All photographs sent to the contest must show forests that belong to any of the Forest Europe signatory countries.

Prize

The winners of the Show Off Your Forest photography competition will be given a trip for two to a protected forest area in Spain. The prize includes the airfare and hotel accommodation, in addition to a guide who will accompany the winners on their visit to the nature park.

The winning participants of the second prize will be given a Nikon D3100 +AFSDX18/55GII+LIBRO+MOC+SD8GB photographic camera and a professional waterproof case.

Moreover, all users registered on the competition website will go into the draw for 5 batches of Secrets of Galicia artisan products, which include: honey, chestnuts, jam, cake, chocolate filled sweets and the book “The Sacred Forest of Lugo”.