Winners of ‘I love this tree because…’ photo competition announced

Judges praise ‘diverse and beautiful’ photographs of trees across Sussex.

The winners of the 2026 ‘I love this tree because…’ photography competition have been announced. Louis Champion won the CPRE Sussex Photography Award for his stunning photograph of oaks in Henfield, West Sussex.

“This small row of oaks is visible from our front door,” said Louis. “They have featured in my photography many times over the seasons. The light on this frosty winter morning was particularly soft.”

Jane Tanner claimed second place for her picture of a tenacious beech tree in Fairlight Glen, Hastings. Isabel Fairlamb won the Rising Stars category for young photographers with her beautiful picture taken in Stanmer Park, Brighton.

“This tree was surrounded by large wonders and curious plants, but it stands out to me more than any of those,” said Isabel. “It’s a display of nature’s strength against all odds”.

An additional award, sponsored by North Laine Hair, was won by Caitlin Green for her image taken on the High Weald where branches reminded her of ‘river tributaries in the sky’. The photo competition is held annually as part of the Sussex Tree Festival – celebrating the beauty and value of trees.

Competition judge and fine art photographer Beatrice Haverich said: “How wonderful to see the love of trees shining through beautiful and diverse photographs of trees accompanied by meaningful quotes from across the generations. The importance of trees is still underestimated. The Sussex Tree Festival and the ‘I love this tree because…’ competition reminds us of that.”

Fellow judge Harriet Broom, a teacher of visual arts at BHASVIC, said: “It is always a pleasure to see the vast array of photographs entered into the Tree Festival photography competition from all manner of ages. There is clearly a great appreciation for trees and their importance in the local landscape – these photographs serve as a reminder that we should all stop and appreciate them once in a while.”

An exhibition of shortlisted entries is on at Jubilee Library, Brighton, until Saturday, 27 June. An online gallery of images will be available to view at cpresussex.org.uk shortly.