The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust 80th Anniversary Poetry Competition invites writers of all ages across Yorkshire to celebrate the natural world through poetry. It’s a chance to reflect on eight decades of conservation work, and to express what “wild Yorkshire” means to you today. 

A Celebration of Yorkshire’s Wild Places

From windswept moorlands and ancient woodlands to rivers, wetlands, and coastal habitats, Yorkshire is full of inspiration. This competition asks you to capture:

• The beauty of Yorkshire’s landscapes

• The wildlife that calls them home

• Or the story of 80 years of conservation and care for nature

Whether it’s a skylark rising over fields or the quiet presence of otters in rivers, your poem can bring these moments to life.

Who Can Take Part?

The competition is open to Yorkshire residents of all ages, with categories for:

• Under 8

• 8–12 years

• 13–17 years

• Adults (18+) 

It’s designed to welcome both experienced poets and complete beginners — anyone with a love for nature and words.

What You Could Win

Winning poems will be featured in Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s magazine, website, and social media channels. Winners will also receive a special wild-themed hamper and recognition as part of the Trust’s 80th anniversary celebrations. 

It’s more than a prize — it’s a chance to have your voice heard as part of a wider movement to protect Yorkshire’s natural heritage.

Why Enter?

This isn’t just a competition — it’s an invitation to slow down and pay attention.

Writing poetry about nature helps us notice the details we often overlook: the patterns in leaves, the movement of tides, the soundscape of a hedgerow. In doing so, it deepens our connection to the natural world and the importance of protecting it.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has spent 80 years restoring habitats and protecting wildlife across the region, and this competition is part of that ongoing story — one where creativity and conservation meet.

How to Enter

You can submit your original poem online or by post. Entries must be no longer than 500 words and written in English. 

📅 Deadline: Friday 3rd July 2026
📍 Eligibility: Yorkshire residents only

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Every landscape has a story, and every poem is a way of telling it.

If Yorkshire’s wild places have ever moved you, this is your chance to give something back in words.

👉 Find out more and enter here!