The Queen plants a tree for the Jubilee at Balmoral

As announced by the Royal Household, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales marked the start of the official planting season for The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) at the Balmoral Estate today.

The QGC is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness, who is Patron of the QGC, planted a copper beech tree at the Balmoral Estate’s historic cricket pavilion, joined by schoolchildren from nearby Crathie Primary School.

The event marks the unveiling of the QGC’s education programme which seeks to inspire young people as the future custodians of the UK’s green spaces, forests and woodlands. With its partners, the QGC has created a programme to encourage schools to participate in tree planting to support the environment and celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

Working with the Royal Forestry Society, and the Scottish Forestry Society, a special national edition of the Junior Forester Award has been created for the Jubilee year, which will be made available to schools nationwide. The children from Crathie Primary School will be the first participants in the QGC Junior Forester Award, which aims to inspire knowledge of the benefit of trees and equip young people with the practical ability to assist in woodland management in their schools and local communities.

From 4th October, QGC Celebration Trees will be gifted to selected primary schools in areas of socio-economic deprivation in 69 cities across the UK. Together with the Crathie Primary School, 70 QGC Celebration Trees will be gifted, with plantings to be led across the country by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants. This initiative will highlight the educational aspects of trees and the significance of giving young people access to nature, encouraging wider engagement with the QGC across the school curriculum.

In addition, the QGC is encouraging all schools to get involved in planting Jubilee trees, with free tree packs available through our partners the Woodland Trust and The Conservation Volunteers.

The QGC will also work with the UK-wide education charity EDT and Industrial Cadets, with whom we share His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales as Patron.

From 1st October all Jubilee trees can to be added to the QGC Map, which will create a digital record of the green canopy of tree planting projects across the country. https://queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/qgc-map/#/

Last month, QGC Ambassador Dame Judi Dench officially opened The RHS Queen’s Green Canopy Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. The garden, which highlights the value of trees, will be on display at RHS Chelsea until Sunday 26th September.
Since the launch of the QGC in May, people across the country have been busy planning their projects, ready for planting in the Autumn. Jubilee tree planting projects have been planned in all counties in the United Kingdom.

In coming months, the QGC will unveil further details of activities including:

• A green skilling initiative, working in collaboration with Cavendish Group and Capel Manor College to create a pilot training programme for young unemployed people with a keen interest in horticulture.
• An urban community planting programme working with our Partner Trees for Cities which focusses on the social and environmental impact of tree planting, prioritising projects in places with socio-economic deprivation and low canopy cover.
• A “Champion Cities” initiative to highlight the leadership, dynamism and influence of some of the nation’s outstanding cities which have trees and woodland as a central part of their plans for green spaces.

As well as inviting the planting of new trees, the QGC will create a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the UK and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service. The QGC has convened a group of forestry experts from across the country to determine which woodlands and trees will become part of the QGC.

The QGC encourages everyone to plant trees as a simple, natural solution to climate change, cleaner air, habitat for wildlife and enhancement to health and wellbeing.

QGC key dates

1st NOVEMBER – COP26

As the host of COP26, the UK is leading by example as it brings world leaders together for key climate talks to be held in Glasgow. At the time of the Summit, people all over the nation will be playing their part to enhance the environment by planting trees to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

27th November – National Tree Week

The QGC is working with our partners to generate activities to mark National Tree Week, the UK’s largest annual tree celebration

Background – The Queen’s Green Canopy

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

Everyone from individuals to Scout and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates will be encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees from 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.

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

By inviting everyone to plant considerable numbers of new trees throughout the country, the QGC seeks to highlight the significant value of trees and woodlands as nature’s simple but highly effective way to clean the air we breathe, slow the impact of climate change, create important wildlife habitats and improve our general health and wellbeing.

• 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.
• The QGC is a voluntary and inclusive initiative which is open to participation by everyone in the UK.
• The QGC is a symbolic gift which involves the voluntary dedication of forests and woodland – there is no land/title transfer.
• Planting trees and protecting forests are simple, cost effective ways to slow climate change, filter our air, enhance our communities and provide habitats for wildlife.
• The QGC is a not-for-profit initiative, which has not received Government funding.