Belgium’s winning photos show the beauty of the forests around the year

5 August 2019 Forests in photos

Belgium has announced the winners of their 2019 ‘Experience Forests, Experience PEFC’ photo contest.

The jury, made up of the photographers Frederik Buyckx and Frédéric Demeuse, chose the top three images out of over 400 photos that entered the contest.

The winners

Giovani Faghel came in first with his image ‘Reflect’, taken in De Palingbeek in Western Belgium. 

The photo shows the reflection of trees in the green water of a mine crater.

“During World War I, there was regular warfare between British and German troops in De Palingbeek,” the photographer explains. 

“Both sides used underground mines which killed hundreds of people. In this photo I have brought together peace and reflection.”

The silver medal went to Frederic Vandenschrick for his photo ‘Golden Forest’.

“My photo shows the autumn magic at the entrance of the Arboretum of Tervuren, in the Sonian Forest in Belgium,” he said.

Elisabeth Peremans won third prize with her photo ‘Verticales’, taken in Tenneville in Southern Belgium.

“It had snowed a lot the days before, but the day I took this photo was sunny and the snow was melting slowly," she explains.

I tried to capture the contrast between the snow shining in the sun and the damp black wood of the trees.”

The prizes

Mr. Faghel receives a weekend for two in a cabin in the heart of the forest in the Deux Ourthes Natural Park.

Mr. Vandenschrick wins a Peugeot salt and pepper mill made of PEFC-certified wood, and Ms. Peremans a one-year subscription to National Geographic.

For more photos entered into the Belgium contest, head to Instagram and search for the hashtag #experienceforestscontest2019!