The Chester County Commissioners recognized the three winners of the county’s Landscapes3 photo contest at a recent Commissioners’ sunshine meeting.

The winners are Lee Schlingmann from East Fallowfield Township, Kathryn Mims from Pocopson Township, and Carol Slocum from Glenmoore.

The photo contest was launched last October as part of Chester County’s development of its next comprehensive plan, Landscapes3. The contest’s purpose was to engage residents in the county’s efforts to manage growth by protecting open space and revitalizing the county’s towns and communities.

The contest was open to anyone in Chester County, and 375 entries were received, representing open space, farmland, farm stands, main streets and side streets, community parks, streams and lakes, historic buildings, community events, walking trails, and bridges.

“This photo contest was intended to get the public’s perspective on what places are valued in Chester County, and the images submitted were diverse but classic examples of the quality of place that Chester County offers,” said Commissioners’ Chair Michelle Kichline.

The winning images are:

• First place: Beautiful Doe Run Valley by Lee Schlingmann
• Second place: Fall in Chester County by Kathryn Mims
• Third place: Bubbling Joy by Carol Slocum

All three winners receive a selection of prizes donated by Dansko, Longwood Gardens, and the Brandywine River Museum.

“The quality of the images that were submitted was astounding, and it was very difficult to narrow the selection down to a final three,” said Commissioner Kathi Cozzone.

In addition to the winning photos, many of the images submitted will be used on the Landscapes3 website and within the Landscapes3 printed comprehensive plan.

“The hundreds of photos that we received as competition entries confirm our belief that Chester County residents are very proud of the urban and suburban settings where they live,” said Commissioner Terence Farrell. “We also thank the organizations that sponsored the contest by providing the prizes for the winners.”