Britons will be encouraged to plant trees to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary on the throne as part of a plan to create a greener country in honour of her seven decades of service.
The 94-year-old, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, is due to mark her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022.
The government is planning a four-day celebration then, featuring an extra public holiday, with tree planting to be a feature of the milestone, according to an announcement on Sunday.
Named “The Queen’s Green Canopy”, the charity-backed project will encourage communities, schools, councils and landowners to plant native trees to help the environment and make local areas greener.
As we celebrate Her Majesty’s incredible 70 years of service, I encourage everyone to get behind this scheme and go ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.
— British prime minister Boris Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the health crisis and pandemic had reminded people of the importance of nature and green spaces, and that trees could transform communities and tackle climate change.
“As we celebrate Her Majesty’s incredible 70 years of service, I encourage everyone to get behind this scheme and go ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’," Johnson said.
Charities Cool Earth and The Woodland Trust said the planting would create a special gift for the monarch, who has planted more than 1,500 trees around the world during her reign.
Queen Elizabeth, who is also the world’s oldest and longest-reigning monarch, became queen on February 6 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI.
Members of the British royal family have been vocal campaigners on a host of environmental issues, with Queen Elizabeth’s son, Prince Charles, speaking out for decades about the impact of climate change and the importance of conservation, and her grandson, Prince William, also taking up the mantle.
— Reuters
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