The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and country clothing brand Schöffel Country have announced the 28 finalists for the 2026 Schöffel Countryside Awards.
The Schöffel Countryside Awards celebrate those delivering working conservation where wildlife recovery and food production can go hand in hand.
More than 70 nominations were received, of which 28 finalists have been shortlisted across six categories. The ceremony will again be hosted by Coutts Landed Estates in London in November.
Megan Lock, judge and senior farm environment advisor for GWCT, says: “Following on from the successful launch of the Schöffel Countryside Awards, in partnership with GWCT, in 2025, I am excited to act as a judge again.
“I am looking forward to meeting these finalists, who have all been nominated for delivering huge benefits for wildlife on private land, both independently and collaboratively; to hear of innovations in conservation; meet young passionate rising stars and to hear about the fantastic work that has been done to improve wetlands and water courses. So much work like this goes under the radar and these awards showcase those who are quietly striving to make nature thrive.”
Finalists in each award category:
The Nature-Friendly Farm/Estate Award – sponsored by Oakbank
- Wyken Estate, Suffolk
- Godminster Farm, Somerset
- EJ Barker & Sons, Suffolk
- Boughton Estate, Northamptonshire
- Bulwick Estates, Northamptonshire
- Llwyn Y Brain Farm, Powys, Wales
- Castletown Estate and Farm, Cumbria
- Racecourse Farm, Staffordshire
- Rottal Estate, Angus, Scotland
- The Grange and Moat Farm, Northamptonshire
The Innovation in Conservation Award – sponsored by B-hive Innovations
- John Chantry – Project Laxford and Watershed Connections, Perthshire, Scotland
- Stuart Evans, North Yorkshire
- Siva Sunder Subramanian, Gloucestershire
- Ben Harrower – BH Wildlife Consultancy, Edinburgh
- The Farm-Environment Partnership Award
- Swaledale and Wensleydale Environmental Farmers (SWEF) group, North Yorkshire
- Manhood Peninsular Farmers Cluster Group, West Sussex
- Llwyn Y Brain Farm, Powys, Wales
The Wetland & Watercourse Conservation Award – sponsored by The Atlantic Salmon Trust
- This category focuses on efforts and achievements in creating and restoring wetland habitats and watercourses to the benefit of biodiversity and ecosystems.
- Lough Erne Wildfowlers’ Council Breeding Wader Project, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
- River Stiffkey, Norfolk
- George Cornelius, Northamptonshire
- Coggeshall Hall Farm, Essex
The Rising Star Award – sponsored by Pressendye
- Tom Ewin, Suffolk/Norfolk border
- Maaike Vrancken, Edinburgh, Scotland
- George Larcombe, Dorset
- George Parish, Shropshire
The Working Conservationist Award
- David Allison, Grosvenor Reay Forest Estate, Sutherland, Scotland
- Patrick Barker, Westhorpe, Suffolk
- Graham Denny – Brewery Farm, Suffolk
- James Allsop – Barlow, Derbyshire
