Winner wildlife Michael Ramsden
Photographers submitted more than 80 photos in HQP’s inaugural National Forestry Day competition, which was open to the public and HQP’s employees. The most hotly contested category was Beauty of HQP’s Plantation Forests, comprising more than half the entries, followed by Native wildlife in HQP’s plantation or custodial native forests. Source: Timberbiz
The judges were impressed with the quality of the entries and how everyone embraced the themes.
Photo judges were Michelle McAndrew, HQP’s Stewardship Systems Manager, Stephanie Hunt, HQP’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager, and Beerburrum-based Forester Jonathon Du Pont.
They said picking just one winner and runner up in each category was challenging but some images really stood out for their unique perspective and how they highlighted each theme.
The winners and runners up for each category are:
The beauty of HQP’s plantation forests
- Winner – Doug Bazley’s image of pine plantations at the foot of Mt Tibrogargan (prize $500)
- Runner up – Graeme Wilson’s image of the Nelder Wheel (prize National Forestry Day cap)
Winner beauty of the forest by Doug Bazley
Enjoying HQP’s plantation forests
- Winner – Charmaine Grobler’s image of mountain biking in the plantation forest (prize $500)
- Runner up – Michael Ramsden’s image of scientists assessing billets in the plantation forest (prize National Forestry Day cap)
Winner enjoying the forest by Charmaine Grobler
Native wildlife in HQP’s plantation or custodial native forests
- Winner – Michael Ramsden’s Katydid in Araucaria (prize $500)
- Runner up – Andres Heredia’s image of a raptor in the plantation forest (prize National Forestry Day beanie)
The judges also commended the Toolara Nursery team’s group drone photo, taken especially for the competition. It was clear to the judges that they enjoy their work and put in a lot of effort but under the strict interpretation of the category Enjoying HQP’s plantation forests their images were deemed ineligible for the category. However, the judges loved the photos and awarded their aerial image the Judges’ Prize of $500.
Toolara Nursery’s drone photo
Congratulations to the winners and runners up and thanks to all the entrants for highlighting some of the many values of HQP-managed forests for National Forestry Day.
