Schools, businesses, community groups and parishes are all being asked to consider taking part in the Queen's Green Canopy Initiative to commemorate her majesty's 70th Jubilee in 2022 - please take a minute to read the following communications and check out their website should you be interested in partaking!
Dear Friends
The Queen’s Green Canopy
I am writing to ask if you would consider getting involved in The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. This brilliant initiative aims to encourage people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.”
Everyone from individuals to schools, parishes, community groups, villages, towns, cities and businesses will be encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees from this October, when the tree planting season begins, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.
With a focus on planting sustainably, the QGC will encourage planting of trees to create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the Nation, which will benefit future generations. From individual trees or shrubs requiring just a few square metres of space to large woodland projects, there is a way for everyone to get involved no matter the scale.
There is plenty of support available to anyone wishing to take part in this lasting expression of gratitude, from help and advice about tree planting to tangible support such as over three million free saplings being made available to schools and community groups. All this information can be found on the dedicated QGC website at: queensgreencanopy.org.
You can also order a commemorative plaque to mark this tribute to Her Majesty and the North Yorkshire Lieutenancy would be delighted to receive an invitation to attend your planting ceremony on behalf of The Queen. If this is something you would welcome, please email us at clerkllny@camphill.co.uk and either myself or one of my representatives will do our best to attend. We would also be delighted to hear from you about your plans for the Queen’s Green Canopy so please do share your stories with us about what you have done to celebrate this historic milestone.
So let us show our County’s heart-felt appreciation for Her Majesty The Queen’s 70 years of dedicated service to our nation by planting as many trees as possible here in North Yorkshire and South Teesside.
Mrs. Johanna Ropner
HM Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
The Queens Green Canopy - Plant a Tree for the Jubilee - FAQs
The QGC is a unique, UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, by inviting people to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”, thereby providing a legacy for future generations to enjoy whilst helping to tackle climate change.
The QGC will encourage everyone to learn more about the best way to plant trees so that they survive and flourish for years to come. Project planning through summer 2021 will enable us to promote many ideas for the siting of trees and new woodlands, each of which will be registered onto an interactive map on the new QGC website so that everyone can share and inspire others, as well as creating a green canopy of projects to cover the country.
You may have an area within the playground or sports field where a few trees would enhance the landscape. As a corporate business you may wish to make a donation to the QGC – a not-for-profit initiative. Or as an individual you may like to plant a tree or woodland in your garden or local community area.
How to get involved
Your ideas for planting new trees across our Yorkshire region may take the form of:
INDIVIDUALS planting trees on their private land including gardens.
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 etc.
A PLATINUM JUBILEE AVENUE of medium-sized or large trees ideal for cities, large estates, new housing developments and parishes.
A PLATINUM JUBILEE COPSE on private land or land allocated by the County or Council.
A 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 July 2021. These are available on a first come-first served basis. QGC will also make contact with as many state schools in the UK as possible to arrange free trees through their 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.
The benefits of trees and woodland
The majority of Britain’s woodland cover was removed to provide farmland when humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Britain is one of the least forested places in the world. Yet we now know that if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change we need to increase our woodland cover very significantly in the next decade.
Trees and woodlands provide a range of high-quality wildlife habitats – for example for insects, bats, birds, deer, badgers and even lichens. Where a rich ground flora is encouraged, the benefits for wildlife are greatly increased. Trees provide shade in urban areas, reducing the heat effect of city air by a few degrees. Trees and woodlands lock up carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the effects of climate change and making our landscapes more resilient. They provide places for quiet recreation and reconnect us with the natural world, so important for our mental health. And they diversify the landscape, converting the often barren monotony of arable land into a rich tapestry.
How many trees will be planted for The Queen’s Green Canopy?
The goal is to plant many trees well in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee. The emphasis is on quality not quantity. It is expected that each county will have at least one significant planting e.g. a new Platinum Jubilee Avenue or a new woodland or copse in Her Majesty’s name, in addition to multiple single tree plantings through the country.
Do I have to buy a tree?
As part of the QGC, The Woodland Trust will be providing saplings free of charge to schools and communities on a first come-first served basis. Information on how to apply for saplings will be available on the QGC website from July 2021. Individuals hoping to plant a tree will need to purchase a tree or a sapling and there is advice on how to do this on the QGC website.
If you would like to be involved with The Queen’s Green Canopy, but don’t wish to plant your own tree, please visit the QGC Donate page. There you can “Gift a tree for the Jubilee” by contributing to two different causes: Trees for cities and schools; and Trees in Memoriam.
If my trees are part of the QGC does this grant the public access to the land?
No, these trees will not be subject to any access requirements. Where possible we do encourage landowners to enable everyone to enjoy the QGC woodland, but this is optional.
How will the trees be maintained?
All participants are asked to comply with the campaign’s goals to plant healthy trees in line with recommendations in the ‘protect’ section on the QGC website so that they thrive and grow to maturation.
The organisation or individual planting the tree is responsible for watering and caring for the trees as they grow. If you plan to plant a large woodland then we advise a 25-year management plan. Please do get in touch with the QGC partner the Forest Canopy Foundation for advice.
Do I have to plant native trees to be part of the QGC?
No, the trees do not need to be native to be part of the QGC. It is very important however that you plant the right trees, in the right place. See our tree planting guidance on the ‘Plan’ section of our website for advice on this.
How much land do I have to have?
The Queen’s Green Canopy would like to encourage everyone from across the United Kingdom to get involved with the initiative. This ranges from individuals planting a tree in their garden to landowners planting future forests. As such, there is no minimum land requirement to get involved however we suggest that you follow the planting advice about the space required for each type of tree.
The next steps
There is plenty of support available to anyone wishing to take part, from help and advice about tree planting to tangible support such as over three million free saplings being made available to schools and community groups. All this information can be found on the dedicated QGC website at: queensgreencanopy.org