Winners of International Day of Forests 2024 photo contest announced

20 March 2024, Rome – Six photographs from Austria, Finland, Honduras, Lebanon, Slovenia and the United States of America have won the International Day of Forests 2024 photo contest, which explored the topic of forestry and innovation.

Over 200 photos from 40 countries were submitted, on some of the most innovative developments happening around forests and sustainable wood.

Topics ranged from advanced forest monitoring systems and controlled use of fire in woodlands, to innovative wood-based textiles and drone-enhanced reforestation efforts.

The winning photos go on display at FAO headquarters for the International Day of Forests. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who entered.

Chosen by a panel of experts, the winners are:

Yuna Chitea – Fireguard

United States of America

A national park ranger monitors a firebreak during a prescribed fire in Congaree National Park, South Carolina.

©FAO/Yuna Chitea

Wilder Portillo - Aerial forest view

Honduras

An aerial image of the forests of Gracias, Lempira, taken from a drone, shows the fragility of this vital ecosystem in the western region of Honduras. Drones can play a key role in forest conservation, such as monitoring forests, combating illegal logging and reforesting degraded areas.

©FAO/Wilder Portillo

George Mitri - Monitoring seedling health

Lebanon

A handheld spectroradiometer is used to assess environmental stressors on a pine seedling in Menjez, Akkar. It monitors the seedling’s vitality to safeguard its development at critical growth stages.

©FAO/George Mitri

Hanns Kirchmeir - Tree scanner

Austria

Protected-area managers Tobias and Larissa use laser scanning technology to determine the volume of live and dead wood in a forest. This and other new technologies are aiding daily work in forest-protected areas and enabling exploration of the carbon storage potential of natural forests.

Sofia Ilmonen - A dress made from wood

Finland

Wood-based textiles are replacing those manufactured using plastics, offering a new, sustainable approach to fashion.

Miroslav Šlafhauser - Seeding trees with drones

Slovenia

Slovenia was hit by the largest fire in its history in 2022, with 2 900 hectares of forests burnt in the Karst region. In 2023, the Slovenia Forest Service started reforestation in hard-to-reach areas with drones that drop seed balls. The balls contain the seeds of indigenous tree species.