London Tree and Woodland Awards 2016

Nominations for the 2016 Awards are now open. 
The 2016 Award categories are:​

• The Community Woodland Award: An award for woodland planting or management projects that have been inspired, driven, and delivered by local community groups. There should be (i) tangible evidence of collaboration with local people and groups, with demonstrable community gains (ii) active management and/or planting of woodlands (iii) evidence of long term management and co-operation that will ensure the sustainability of the project and a resilient woodland
• The Community Tree Award: An award for tree planting or other tree related projects that have been inspired, driven, and delivered by local community groups. There should be (i) tangible evidence of collaboration with local people and groups, with demonstrable community gains (ii) active management and/or planting of trees (iii) evidence of long term management and co-operation that will ensure the sustainability of the project
• Trees in a Development Award: An award to recognise the importance of integrating trees into developments, and the variety of roles trees can play including, for example, sustainable urban drainage, traffic calming, and regeneration.  This category is open to developers, boroughs, business improvement districts, regeneration schemes. 

Projects need to (i) include rationale behind the tree management; demonstrate an overall increase in tree cover and/or sensitive incorporation of existing mature trees in the development; before and after photos; extracts from relevant design documents, specifications (ii) demonstrate that new trees are at least 3 years in the ground, are stable in the ground with all above ground support systems removed, show measurable incremental extension growth across the whole canopy along with commensurate increase in stem girth (iii) go beyond street tree planting (iv) explain how trees in the development are performing a function over and above their amenity value

• The Tree Council Trees and Learning Award: An award for a project that has engaged and involved children of any age up to 16.  The panel will be looking for (i) evidence that the project has resulted in a sustainable tree-related educational and planting programme in which U16s have taken an active part (ii) Evidence of increased knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the environment by the children and young people who have participated (iii) evidence of sustainable environmental improvements
• The Acorn Award: An award for an individual member of the public who has made a particular contribution to promoting or conserving trees, for example a student who has shown considerable aptitude and achieved success through a particular project or training course, or an extraordinary individual who has shown dedication through voluntary involvement, or an iTree volunteer who has shown dedication and commitment to the project.
• The London Tree Officers Association Individual Commitment Award: An award for an individual employed professionally within London who has shown consistent dedication and commitment over a prolonged period. For example in the advancement of tree and/or woodland management within London, or has demonstrated a significant contribution that has made a particular difference to tree and/or woodland care within their organisation.

To nominate a person or project, please use the 2016 Awards Nomination Form available on the Forestry Commission London website and send it to jeanette.hawkins@forestry.gsi.gov.uk by 8 April 2016.