The Queen's Green Canopy Explained

The Queen's Green Canopy
Duration:
Location: United Kingdom
Blank Label:Patron
Blank Data:Charles III
Cause:Tree planting campaign
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The Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) was an initiative that began in May 2021[1] in the United Kingdom in honour of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. To increase and protect the native tree cover, people were urged to create this 'special gift' for the Queen, to mark her 70 years on the throne.[2]

Background

This initiative was led by Cool Earth in partnership with the UK Government and the Woodland Trust. Communities, charities, schools, scout groups, councils and landowners were invited to create a network of individual or specimen trees, tree avenues, copses and woodlands.

The campaign encouraged the planting of healthy native trees that would thrive, enhancing the environment and the landscape for generations to come.[3] To help the environment and make local areas greener, people were urged to plant trees across the United Kingdom to create a lasting legacy in honour of the Queen's leadership.

Alongside this, 70 Ancient Trees and 70 Ancient Woodlands, including some trees more than 1,000 years old and many with links to historical events, were designated as part of the Canopy.

In a statement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:[4]

The Woodland Trust supplied 3 million saplings free to school and community groups, and a pilot scheme to train unemployed young people to plant and manage trees was also created under the auspices of the London environmental college Capel Manor College. The initiative included both individuals planting trees in their gardens and the creation of avenues and copses. Seventy ancient woodlands and 70 ancient trees were also identified as part of the celebration.[5]

Launch and the Planting season

The Queen's Green Canopy was officially launched in May 2021, in advance of the Jubilee year of 2022.

The Queen and Prince Charles planted the first tree in March in Windsor Great Park. Charles called it a 'tree-bilee' in a video message and also emphasised the importance of planting the right species in useful places.[5] The two planted another tree at Balmoral Castle on 1 October 2021 to mark the official beginning of the initiative.[6] On 3 October 2021, the first overseas Jubilee Tree was planted by Princess Anne at Hôtel de Charost, residence of the British Ambassador to France.[7] On 30 November 2021, Prince Richard planted the final tree in Rutland's Duke of Edinburgh Memorial Orchard, which was created as a tribute to Prince Philip and is part of the Queen's Green Canopy initiative.[8]

As of January 2022, about 60,000 trees had been planted to mark the Jubilee.[9]

More than one million trees were planted during the first official planting season from October to March. The Countess of Wessex and Forfar planted an elm tree in the Buckingham Palace garden to mark the end of first planting season. In a message marking the end of the first planting season, the Queen said that she was "deeply touched" by the planting of trees in huge numbers and hoped that the "Jubilee trees flourish and grow for many years to come, for future generations to enjoy".[10] A sculpture called 'Tree of Trees' was set up in front of Buckingham Palace for the June celebrations. The sculpture, comprising 350 native British trees assembled into a single giant tree, was designed to represent the over one million trees planted during the Green Canopy project. Individual trees will be donated to community groups for replanting after the celebrations.[11]

The first tree planting season ended on 31 March 2022. The second season started in October 2022 and ran until the end of March 2023.[10] King Charles III and Prince William planted one of the final trees at Sandringham House. By the end of the second planting season, three million trees had been planted.[12]

70 Ancient Trees and 70 Ancient Woodlands

70 ancient trees and 70 Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom were dedicated to the Queen as part of The Queen's Green Canopy.[13] [14] [15]

NoName of tree Tree species LocationNationNotes
1The Signing Oak English oak
(Quercus robur)
Windsor Great Park, BerkshireEngland900 years old
2The Great Bressingham Oak English oak
(Quercus robur)
Bressingham Hall, Norfolk EnglandTudor-era tree
3Chatsworth Alder Alder
(Alnus glutinosa)
Chatsworth Park, DerbyshireEnglandOne of the oldest alders in the country
4Queen Elizabeth OakSessile oak
(Quercus petraea)
Cowdray Park, West Sussex EnglandAround 1,000 years old. Queen Elizabeth I rested and took lunch under the Oak in 1591 during a hunting trip.
5Doddington Sweet ChestnutSweet chestnut
(Castanea sativa)
Doddington Hall, Lincoln, LincolnshireEngland350–400 years old
6Ullswater Silver BirchSilver birch
(Betula pendula)
Ullswater, CumbriaEnglandExceptional size and condition for its species
7St Edward's YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
St Edward's Church, Stow-on-the-Wold, GloucestershireEnglandOne of two which frame the door of St Edward's Church in Stow-on-the-Wold
8Lambeth Palace Fig‘White Marseilles' fig
(Ficus carica)
Lambeth Palace, London EnglandOriginally planted by Cardinal Pole, the last Roman Catholic Archbishop from 1556 to 1558
9John Keats' MulberryBlack mulberry
(Morus nigra)
Keats House Museum, LondonEnglandFound in the garden of Keats House Museum, where renowned poet John Keats is believed to have written some of his most famous poems including ‘Ode to a Nightingale'
10The Raydale HollyHolly
(Ilex aquifolium)
Woldside Wood, Raydale Grange, North Yorkshire EnglandPart of a collection growing as an ancient coppice in Woldside Wood
11The Much Marcle YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
Much Marcle Church, Ledbury, HerefordshireEnglandHas a huge hollow which is unusual to see for an ancient maiden yew
12The Royal OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Boscobel House, Boscobel, ShropshireEnglandKing Charles II hid within this tree to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651
13The Great Veteran LimeCommon lime
(Tilia × europaea)
Wrest Park, BedfordshireEnglandPlanted around 1670
14Osborne House Cork Oak Cork oak
(Quercus suber)
Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of WightEnglandPlanted on 4 December 1847 by Prince Albert at Osborne House, Queen Victoria's holiday home on the Isle of Wight
15Restormel Sessile OakSessile oak
(Quercus petraea)
Restormel Castle, CornwallEnglandAbout 400 years old. It has links to the Civil War, and action took place in 1644 around the tree
16The Hangman's Tree English oak
(Quercus robur)
Shane's Castle, Randalstown, County Antrim Northern IrelandOne of the largest oaks on Shane's Castle Estate and over 350 years old
17The Marriage Tree Scots pine
(Pinus sylvestris)
Finzean Estate, Banchory, AberdeenshireScotlandAbout 100 years old and is on the list of Heritage Trees of Scotland
18The Hirsel Tulip TreeTulip
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
Hirsel Estate, Coldstream, Scottish BordersScotlandOne of Scotland's oldest surviving tulip trees. It is thought to have been planted in 1742.
19The GiantEuropean silver fir
(Abies alba)
Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, Cairndow, Argyll and ButeScotlandThought to be the largest silver fir in the UK
20The Brahan ElmWych elm
(Ulmus glabra)
Brahan Estate, Dingwall, Ross-shireScotlandRelatively scarce deciduous tree that supports abundant insect life in the forest
21The Balmerino Sweet ChestnutSweet chestnut
(Castanea sativa)
Balmerino Abbey, Newport-on-Tay, FifeScotlandSaid to have been planted by Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1565. Dating confirms the tree to be between 390 and 425 years old.
22The Drumlanrig DouglasDouglas fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Drumlanrig Castle Gardens, Queensbury Estate, Dumfries and GallowayScotlandPlanted in 1829 and is thought to be the first Douglas fir planted in the UK
23Dumfries House SycamoreSycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus)
Dumfries House, Cumnock, East Ayrshire ScotlandReputed to have been planted in 1599
24Dundonnell Yew Common yew
(Taxus baccata)
Dundonnell House Gardens, Wester RossScotlandBelieved to be the second oldest yew in Scotland, after the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire
25Coed Glaslyn RowanRowan
(Sorbus aucuparia)
Coed Glaslyn, PowysWalesHuge in size, which is rare for rowans
26Curley OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Wentwood, Newport WalesOne of the oldest oaks in Wales
27Plas Newydd BeechCommon beech
(Fagus sylvatica)
Plas Newydd, Llanfairpwll, AngleseyWalesHas a girth of over 10m. It looks as it is several trees fused together.
28The Buttington YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
All Saints Church, Buttington, PowysWalesOldest known planting date of any yew tree in Britain. It was planted in 893 CE to commemorate the Battle of Buttington.
29Llangernyw YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
St Digain's Church Yard, Llangernyw, ConwyWalesPoet Margaret Sandbach of nearby Hafodunos Hall, described a funeral here in 1852
30Prisk Wood Small Leaved LimeSmall leaved lime
(Tilia cordata)
Prisk Wood, MonmouthshireWalesAt first sight the trunks appear to be separate trees but in fact it is all one individual.
31Newtown Wild Black Poplar Wild black poplar
(Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia)
Newtown Y Drenewydd, PowysWalesOne of the largest wild black poplar recorded among only around 7,000 remaining in the UK
32Wyesham OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Wyesham, MonmouthshireWalesThought to have been growing around the time of Geoffrey of Monmouth's birth circa 1095
33Pulpit YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
St James Churchyard, Nantglyn, DenbighshireWalesJohn Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, preached from here
34Vangarde Crack WillowCrack willow
(Salix fragilis)
Vangarde Shopping Centre, York, North Yorkshire EnglandOne of the largest crack willows in the UK with a girth of 7.8m
35The Preston Twin ElmEnglish Elm
(Ulmus procera)
Preston Park, Brighton and Hove, East SussexEnglandAround 400 years old
36Crom YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
Crom Castle, Newtownbutler, County FermanaghNorthern IrelandThe Crom Yew is two yews entwined together, one male and one female.
37The Ashbrittle Yew Common yew
(Taxus baccata)
St John the Baptist Church, Tiverton, DevonEnglandCertified as 3,000 years old
38Camusnagaul Pollarded OakSessile oak
(Quercus petraea)
Achaphubuil, Lochaber, The HighlandsScotlandComposed largely of downy birch and sessile oak with both shrubby and moss ground flora
39The Old Spanish ChestnutSweet chestnut
(Castanea sativa)
Castle Leod, Ross-shireScotlandPlanted in 1553 to commemorate a visit by Marie de Guise, Queen of France, and the granting of sasines by Mary, Queen of Scots.
40The Defynnog YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
St Cynog's Churchyard, Defynnog, Powys WalesOldest yew in the UK
41Maesgwyn English OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Maesgwyn Estate, Chirk, WrexhamWalesThought to date back to the reign of Egbert, King of Wessex, in 802
42The St Andrews Holm OakHolm oak
(Quercus ilex)
University of St Andrews, FifeScotlandCore dating puts the origins of this tree at around 1740
43Hafod BeechCommon beech
(Fagus sylvatica)
Hafod Uchtryd, CeredigionWalesLikely to be one of the millions of trees planted by Thomas Johnes
44Drumlanrig SycamoreSycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus)
Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and GallowayScotlandOne of the largest sycamore trees in the UK
45Niel Gow's OakSessile oak
(Quercus petraea)
Craigvinean Forest, Perth and KinrossScotlandThis tree was likely planted by the “Planting” Dukes of Atholl around 300 years ago
46The Drumtochty SpruceSitka spruce
(Picea sitchensis)
Drumtochty Castle, KincardineshireScotlandOne of the first sitka spruce planted in Europe, and one of the tallest in Scotland
47Torphichen Horse ChestnutEuropean horse chestnut
(Aesculus hippocastanum)
Torphichen Churchyard, West LothianScotlandLocated in the churchyard of Torphichen Kirk
48Hopetoun Field MapleField maple
(Acer campestre)
Hopetoun House, West LothianScotlandLocated in Hopetoun House's West Park
49Tilgate Hawthorn Common hawthorn
(Crataegus monogyna)
Tilgate, West SussexEnglandThe trunk of the tree is hollow and split as if cleaved by a giant
50The Florence Court YewIrish yew
(Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata')
Florence Court, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh Northern IrelandThought to be mother to millions of offspring yews across the world
51The Ankerwycke YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
Wraysbury, BerkshireEngland2,500 years old
52Hafod SequoiaGiant sequoia
(Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Hafod UchtrydWalesThe tallest tree on the Hafod Estate
53Dundonnell AlderAlder
(Alnus glutinosa)
Dundonnell, HighlandScotlandLarge in size, not usual for alders
54Antony House Black WalnutEastern black walnut
(Juglans nigra)
Antony House, Torpoint, CornwallEnglandPlanted in 1785
55Parent LarchEuropean larch
(Larix decidua)
Dunkeld Cathedral, PerthshireScotlandOne of the largest European larch in the UK. Planted for Duke James of Atholl in 1738.
56The Great CedarCedar of Lebanon
(Cedrus libani)
Painshill Park, Cobham, SurreyEnglandThought to be the largest multi-stemmed cedar in Europe
57Plas Newydd English Oak English oak
(Quercus robur)
Plas Newydd, Llangollen, DenbighshireWalesThought to be 400 years old
58Eddington Veteran OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Turing Way, Eddington, CambridgeshireEnglandEstimated to be about 430 years old. Likely to have seeded around 1592 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
59The Tolpuddle Martyrs' TreeSycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus)
Tolpuddle, DorsetEnglandIn 1833, six agricultural labourers, later known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, would meet at this tree to organise efforts to improve working conditions
60Colesbourne Oriental PlaneOriental plane
(Platanus orientalis)
Arboretum, GloucestershireEnglandThe tree has been recorded in a number of books, magazine and newspaper articles over many years
61Robert The Bruce's YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
Loch Lomond, Argyll and Bute, StirlingshireScotlandReputedly beneath this yew on the rocky outcrop of Loch Lomond where Robert the Bruce and 200 of his allies rested in the first days of their 14th Century campaign
62Twisted Beech Common beech
(Fagus sylvatica)
Tehidy Country Park, CornwallEnglandEtched with graffiti, some dating as far back as the 19th century
63The Original Bramley Apple Apple tree
(Malus domestica)
Southwell, NottinghamshireEnglandConsidered king of the cooking apples and first cultivated in the UK
64Sherwood Forest Crab AppleCrab apple
(Malus sylvestris)
Sherwood Forest Country Park, NottinghamshireEnglandFenced off to aid protection against increased footfall
65Baobab PlaneLondon plane
(Platanus × hispanica)
Westgate Gardens, Canterbury, KentEnglandLargest example of the 'baobab plane' found in Canterbury
66Newton's Apple TreeApple tree
(Malus domestica)
Woolsthorpe Manor, LincolnshireEnglandAccording to scientific legend, this apple tree inspired Isaac Newton to develop his theory of gravity; a revolution in the history of scientific thought
67St Melangell's YewCommon yew
(Taxus baccata)
St Melangell's Churchyard, Pennant MelangellWalesThought to be over 2,000 years old
68Willesley Park Sweet ChestnutSweet chestnut
(Castanea sativa)
Willesley Park Golf Course, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire EnglandIs of good height and girth
69The Belvoir OakEnglish oak
(Quercus robur)
Belvoir Park Forest, UlsterNorthern IrelandEstimated to be 500 years old and is possibly the oldest oak in Northern Ireland
70English oak
(Quercus robur)
Sherwood Forest, NottinghamshireEnglandStanding for anywhere between 800 – 1100 years. It is the biggest oak tree in Britain, with a canopy spread of 28 metres, a trunk circumference of 11 metres and an estimated weight of 23 tonnes.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Queen's Green Canopy. Cool Earth.
  2. News: 29 November 2020. Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Public urged to plant a tree to help mark monarch's 70-year reign. ITV News .
  3. News: 29 November 2020. Britons to plant trees to mark Queen Elizabeth's 70 years on throne. Reuters.
  4. News: Hill. Katie. 4 December 2020. Cool Earth and UK government launch Plant a Tree for the Jubilee initiative. My Green Pod.
  5. News: Couzens. Jo. 15 May 2021. Campaign launched to mark Queen's Platinum Jubilee. BBC News. 16 May 2021.
  6. Web site: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles Team Up for Her First Public Duty in Two Months. People. Simon. Perry. 1 October 2021. 1 October 2021.
  7. Web site: Princess Anne wraps up her two-day trip to Paris. Royal Central. Sydney. Zatz. 5 October 2021. 5 October 2021.
  8. Web site: HRH Duke of Gloucester visits Oakham, Exton and Uppingham and plants trees at Duke of Edinburgh Memorial Orchard, at Rutland Showground, and Uppingham Community College. Rutland and Stamford Mercury. Chris. Harby. 1 December 2021. 4 December 2021.
  9. News: 2022-01-10. Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Celebration plans unveiled by Buckingham Palace. en-GB. BBC News. 2022-01-10.
  10. Web site: Queen 'deeply touched' by the planting of a million Platinum Jubilee trees. The Telegraph. 31 March 2022.
  11. News: 2022-04-22 . Platinum Jubilee: Tree sculpture to be erected outside Buckingham Palace . BBC News . 2022-04-23.
  12. Web site: King Charles makes rare comments about the late Queen as he shares 'heartfelt thanks' with public. Hello!. Matthew. Moore. 2 April 2023. 2 April 2023.
  13. News: Ancient trees dedicated to Queen for Platinum Jubilee. 1 May 2022. BBC News. 17 May 2022.
  14. Web site: 70 Ancient Trees. The Queen's Green Canopy. 18 May 2022.
  15. Web site: 70 Ancient Trees . 2022-06-05 . The Queen's Green Canopy . en-GB.