A Laois man has been named the overall winner of the Teagasc Forest Photo Competition for 2021.
The ‘Celebrating Our Forests and Wood Use’ competition was won by Martin Maher from for his photograph ‘Walking into autumn’ which highlights the beautiful Corrig Wood near Portarlington.
As winner of the ‘Celebrating Our Forest and Wood Use’ competition, Martin receives a voucher valued at €500 to add to his earlier category award of €300, bringing his overall prize value to €800.
Congratulating the competition winner, Minister Pippa Hackett said: “Martin’s photograph is a stunning portrayal of a stunning woodland. I know Corrig Wood well.
“With my family I have enjoyed many walks and picnics there, and we have run through the wood many times as well, so I have a great sense of what an amenity it is for the people of Laois and indeed for those from other counties too.
‘It’s important to recognise the benefits of forests beyond supplying a vital timber resource and Martin’s image is of such an inviting scene.
“it certainly captures a sense of what trees can do for our landscape, our recreation and our wellbeing.”
The competition was hosted by Teagasc, and Tom Houlihan, Forestry Specialist with the Teagasc Forestry Development Department congratulated the winners.
He said: “The categories were selected to highlight many important forest benefits and to create awareness of our forest resource as well as the importance of wood as a sustainable material in our everyday lives.”
The initiative will run again in 2022 with new themes and further competition categories.
