West Sussex to honour The Queen in National Tree Week

A nationwide community campaign to “Plant a Tree for The Jubilee” is gathering pace in West Sussex at the start of National Tree Week (27 November - 5 December).
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Several events are being planned in the county for the Queen’s Green Canopy Campaign, set up as part of celebrations for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

The aim of the Queen’s Green Canopy campaign is to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her exceptional service over 70 years on the throne and be a key part of celebrations planned for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

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Students at Brinsbury College near Pulborough will plant 420 trees as part of a new outdoor learning area on Thursday, November 25.

Rumboldswhyke School pupils with the Lord Lieutenant , planting the Queen Elizabeth 1st Cowdray TreeRumboldswhyke School pupils with the Lord Lieutenant , planting the Queen Elizabeth 1st Cowdray Tree
Rumboldswhyke School pupils with the Lord Lieutenant , planting the Queen Elizabeth 1st Cowdray Tree

They will be joined by members of the Lord Lieutenant’s Queen’s Green Canopy Team - Deputy Lieutenants who are helping raise awareness of the royal initiative in West Sussex.

The Lord Lieutenant Susan Pyper will take part in a tree planting ceremony on the Goodwood Estate with the Duchess of Richmond and Gordon on Monday, November 29, alongside The South Downs National Park Authority and South Downs National Park Trust.

The National Trust will partner with pupils from Dorset House School to plant a tree in North Wood on the Slindon Estate on Thursday, December 2, at a ceremony led by Dr John Godfrey DL, who chairs the West Sussex Queen’s Green Canopy Team.

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The forestry team at the Wiston Estate at Washington are planting 1500 saplings as part of the initiative.

South Of England Showground launch with Sir Nicholas Soames,president of the South of England Agricultural Society, and Caroline Nicholls, Deputy LieutenantSouth Of England Showground launch with Sir Nicholas Soames,president of the South of England Agricultural Society, and Caroline Nicholls, Deputy Lieutenant
South Of England Showground launch with Sir Nicholas Soames,president of the South of England Agricultural Society, and Caroline Nicholls, Deputy Lieutenant

These are a mixture of native broadleaf trees, including beech, oak, yew, holly and wild cherry, which will help increase the biodiversity in the estate’s woodlands.

The estate has 22km of footpaths and 36km of bridleways.

At the same time it will help promote the importance of tree planting and tree conservation to the environment.

Individuals, schools, clubs, community groups, towns and villages, land owners and businesses can all play a part by planning their own contribution - whether by planting a single tree, a copse or a woodland - and forming a key part of a new network of trees across the country.

The Wiston Estate TeamThe Wiston Estate Team
The Wiston Estate Team
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All new trees can be added to a virtual map, covering the whole of the country, alongside 70 specially selected ancient trees and a dedicated network of 70 ancient woodlands across the UK.

The aim is for the Queen’s Green Canopy planting programme to run through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.

Already commemorative trees have been planted in special ceremonies at Rumboldswhyke Primary School in Chichester and at the South of England Agricultural Society Showground at Ardingly as well as by individuals across the county.

Susan Pyper said: “ The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative is one of many ways in which West Sussex communities plan to celebrate Her Majesty’s exceptional service and loyalty to the country in her 70 years on the throne. “It can build on the wonderful work already in hand in the county which involves the planting of individual trees, restoring hedgerows and reinvigorating areas of larger woodlands. I’m delighted to see that already the community is rising to the challenge and there will be plenty of other opportunities for others to get involved over the year to come. We would like to hear from anyone who is taking part.”

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“West Sussex is one of the most wooded counties in England, despite the impact of Dutch Elm disease and, more recently, Ash die back - and the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative provides a wonderful and lasting opportunity to both pay tribute to a remarkable monarch and help protect our beautiful countryside and environment for future generations.”

Further information about the QGC is available at www.queensgreencanopy.org.

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