A tree has been planted in the grounds of Windsor Castle to launch The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) which is a tree planting programme to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Everyone is now invited to Plant a Tree for the Jubilee. following the first tree planted by HRH The Prince of Wales as patron of QGC. This initiative was chosen as throughout Her reign, The Queen has planted more than 1,500 trees all over the world and has spoken alongside Sir David Attenborough of the importance of trees in the Earth’s future.

Anyone from Girlguiding and Scout groups, villages, cities, schools and businesses will be encouraged to plant trees from October 2021 to the end of 2022. The countdown to planting begins today, but the tree planting season runs from October to March. The Woodland Trust will have three million free saplings available on a first come first served basis for schools and community groups to plant.

The tree planted by His Royal Highness represents the first Jubilee tree on the QGC map, along with four foundation plantings by Royal Mail in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Royal Mail is the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK and the UK’s designated universal postal service provider. As a Founding Platinum Supporter of The Queens Green Canopy, along with The John Lewis Partnership, Coutts, Coupa and Rentokil,  Royal Mail has planted four mature trees in each nation of the UK at four Royal Mail sites. The trees can be found at mail centres and delivery offices in Belfast, Portsmouth, Swansea and Glasgow.

Royal Mail Chief Commercial Officer, Nick Landon, said:“Royal Mail is the original postal service. For over 500 years we have taken the long view and continuously reinvented ourselves for the next generations. As the Founding Platinum Supporter of The Queen’s Green Canopy, Royal Mail is incredibly proud to support this inspiring project which is creating a greener environment for generations to come. As part of this support we have planted four wonderful indigenous trees, one at a selected Royal Mail site in each UK nation, in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and for the enjoyment of all for many years to come.”

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a not-for-profit initiative and money raised will be donated to deprived areas and urban schools through our QGC partner, Trees for Cities. The QGC will also offer people the opportunity to commemorate loved ones through the donation of a Jubilee tree. A special interactive map has been created to track the Jubilee tree plantings, which is embedded within the QGC website. When planting season arrives in October, people will be able to upload images with their newly planted Jubilee trees on the QGC map.

The planting of new trees across the United Kingdom may take the form of:

  • Individuals planting trees on their private land.
  • Corporates and businesses planting trees on their land and creating tree planting projects with employees.
  • Platinum Jubilee Community Planting – projects for youth groups, Parishes,Residents Associations. Community groups can apply for free saplings from Junethrough the QGC website, available on a first come first served basis.
  • Platinum Jubilee Avenue of medium-sized or large trees ideal for cities, large estates, new housing developments and parishes.
  • Platinum Jubilee Copse on private land or land allocated by the County or Council.
  • Platinum School Tree: all schools are encouraged to actively engage with the QGC.Schools may apply for free saplings through the Woodland Trust on the QGC website from June, available on a first-come-first served basis. In addition to this, the QGC will make contact with as many state schools in the UK as possible to arrange free trees through our partner organisations. The number of free trees available will depend on donations received. There is also an education hub on the QGC website which provides materials for schools.

As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will highlight and showcase 70 amazing and irreplaceable Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.

Details will be outlined on www.queensgreencanopy.org from June, alongside expert advice from our partners about tree planting “best practice” – including where to plant and how to secure a healthy tree which is right for the location.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.