APPLICATIONS have opened for the Young People in European Forests competition, which is being held in the UK this year for the first time.

The award aims to encourage Future Foresters to showcase their passion for their country’s trees and woodlands. It is open to teams of three young people aged 15–18 supported by an adult from their education institution.

Teams are invited to submit a media project which showcases their knowledge and understanding of forestry in their part of the United Kingdom; either England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

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The project can be in any format and may be an extended essay, fact file, powerpoint or video. This year’s theme is ‘Forestry and the Future’.

Teams will be divided into categories according to their part of the United Kingdom. There will be a winner for each nation as well as an overall winner for the United Kingdom.

The winning team in each part of the UK will be invited to a presentation and a guided tour of a world class forestry site within their nation.

The overall UK winner will also have their entry shared on the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) website and with YPEF contributors across Europe. The team members will receive individual certificates and there will be a certificate for the winning school to display.

Entries will be open from until 7 November. Full details on how to enter here.