Innovative Christmas tree project wins national award
An innovative Moray Council partnership project using recycled Christmas trees to protect sand dunes in Lossiemouth has won a top national honour at the COSLA Excellence Awards.
The Lossiemouth Christmas Tree Project - led by Lossiemouth Community Council in close collaboration with Moray Council - has been awarded the Improving in Partnership prize, recognising the strength of community-led innovation and the positive environmental impact of the initiative.
The project repurposes real Christmas trees donated by residents, using them to stabilise vulnerable dune systems and enhance natural coastal defences. The work has received widespread praise for its sustainability, community engagement and measurable benefits to the local environment.
Moray Council Leader Cllr Kathleen Robertson said: “I'm very pleased to see this project receive national recognition. It showcases what can be achieved when local communities, volunteers and council teams work side by side with a shared purpose. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved.”
Carolle Ralph, Chair of Lossiemouth Community Council, added: “We are thrilled to see the project win this prestigious award. What began as a pilot has grown into a highly successful example of community action, and we are grateful for the strong support and expertise from Moray Council. This recognition belongs to everyone who donated a tree, turned out to help, or championed the idea from the beginning. I’d like to thank in particular Senior Engineer at Moray Council Will Burnish, who was enormously helpful in making this project a reality.”
Cllr Shona Morrison, COSLA President, said:"Firstly, I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our winners!
“The Excellence Awards are not only a fantastic chance for some well-deserved recognition and celebration of the wonderful people who make up our councils. They also remind us that councils are here for our communities every day, supporting us through ever-changing and often extremely challenging circumstances.
“As always, it has been an absolute pleasure to be part of the Excellence Awards this year, and to hear from all 15 nominated teams. For me, the innovation, passion and commitment shown by our local government workforce is nothing short of inspirational. I hope all the nominees and winners are feeling extremely proud of their achievements and the vital work they are doing every day to support their communities.”
It comes just a week after Moray Councillors Kathleen Robertson and Marc Macrae won the Leader of the Year and Innovator of the Year titles respectively at the LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards.