We’re delighted to announce that Scotland’s Young People’s Forest (SYPF) has been nominated as a finalist for this year’s Climate Action Awards, hosted by Holyrood Magazine.

The youth-led project, set up in 2021, is currently working towards the creation of a series of new forests and woodlands across Scotland – led, designed and managed by young people – to protect and promote Scotland’s natural habitat.

The long term goal is for the youth leadership panel involved in the project to lead, manage and shape the direction of additional forested spaces alongside land owners across Scotland and inspire a SYPF movement.

A partnership between YouthLink Scotland, Young Scot, the Woodland Trust, and Green Action Trust, Scotland’s Young People’s Forest, the project is also supported by founding partners Corra Foundation, NatureScot, Pears Foundation, Scottish Enterprise, Accenture and Wood.

Laura Young, who hosted YouthLink Scotland’s Climate Hot Seat event in 2022, has also included on the Holyrood Climate Action Awards shortlist for her Ban Disposable Vapes campaign.

This marks the second time Scotland’s Young People’s Forest has been nominated for an environmental award this year, after featuring as a finalist at SCVO’s Scottish Charity Awards.

Launched in 2021 to coincide with Glasgow’s hosting of COP26, the Holyrood Climate Action Awards (formally the Green Giant Awards) recognise key players across seven categories including technology, nature, community, and the circular economy who are making significant contributions to Scotland’s Net Zero journey.

The awards and ceilidh will be held on 8 November at the George Edinburgh, and form part of Holyrood’s annual Climate Action Summit, which will take place 8-9 November at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh.

This year’s summit features a wide range of speakers, including Professor Jim Skea, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and eminent economist Prof Mariana Mazzucato.