It started out as a loving gift to Her Majesty in honour of her 70 years of service and it became a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II and her historic reign.
The Queen’s Green Canopy has resulted in the planting of more than one million trees throughout the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II and her son, then Prince Charles, kicked off “The Queen’s Green Canopy” (QGC) by planting a tree in October 2022. Through the months that followed, millions followed suit.
During the tree planting season, October to March, schools, corporations, charities and individuals throughout the Commonwealth planted trees of all shapes and sizes. When the planting season wrapped up, Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement of thanks: “As the planting season draws to a close, I send my sincere thanks to everyone across the country who has planted a tree to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee. I am deeply touched that so many community groups, schools, families and individuals have made their own unique contributions to the Green Canopy initiative. I hope your Jubilee trees flourish and grow for many years to come, for future generations to enjoy. ELIZABETH R.”
In the off-season, the QGC became a conservation programme. Throughout the United Kingdom, 70 Ancient Woodlands and 70 Ancient Trees were chosen for protection for their irreplaceable habitat.
The QGC was centre stage during the Jubilee events at Buckingham Palace. It was there that a 21-metre “Tree of Trees” sculpture stood. Made up of 350 trees, it was the principal beacon for the Jubilee and it was lit by Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor and Prince William in London. The trees were then gifted to community groups and individuals to highlight their work and motivate future tree planters.
The QGC was scheduled to end in December 2022, the end of the Jubilee year. But when Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022, the program transformed to a memorial endeavour.
Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II planted over 1500 trees worldwide. King Charles III and the QGC felt it only fitting to extend the programme for another planting season. Now, slated to wrap up in March 2023, the QGC hopes to have this living legacy “serve as a lasting tribute to Her Majesty’s extraordinary service to her country and her people.”
