Burghley House revealed as first Woodland Trust 70-acre wood for Platinum Jubilee
We're being invited to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’
A 16th century Elizabethan mansion is the fitting location for the Woodland Trust’s first confirmed 70-acre wood in celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire was built by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth 1, between 1555 and 1587 and its famous grounds will now see a new woodland planted to mark Elizabeth II’s historic jubilee year in 2022.
The Woodland Trust, the United Kingdom’s largest woodland conservation charity, is calling on landowners to help mark Her Majesty’s 70-year reign as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) – a unique tree-planting initiative which is inviting people from across the UK to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.
Establishing up to 70 Platinum Jubilee Woods supports the Trust’s long-term mass-scale woodland creation aims and will help fight the climate and nature crisis.
Dr Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, described the partnership with the QGC as the “ideal way to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service”.
“We are thrilled that such a prestigious venue as Burghley House has chosen to spearhead the celebration,” he added. “We want this to encourage other landowners to come forward and get involved in this exciting and ambitious initiative.
“The first of our wonderful new woods will not only be a fantastic living and growing legacy for Her Majesty, but will also help fight the climate and nature crisis by locking up carbon and creating essential new wildlife habitats.
“These young woods and trees will join millions of others planted by the Woodland Trust which are already working tirelessly for people and nature.”
The QGC is encouraging everyone to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees until the end of the official planting season in March, and then again from October through to the end of the Jubilee year.
QGC chief executive Dan Rex said: “The establishment of up to 70 Platinum Jubilee Woods will be an exceptional contribution to The Queen’s Green Canopy, and it is entirely fitting that the first wood will be planted at Burghley House, with its historic Royal connections.
“Building on the Diamond Jubilee, the 70 Platinum Woods combine to form a truly wonderful legacy for the nation, demonstrating the capability and commitment of our founding partners, The Woodland Trust.”
Burghley House, which has hosted the famous horse trials since 1961, is set in a 300-acre deer park landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown.
Burghley’s latest woodland will add to the 60-acre Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Wood created with the Woodland Trust in 2012, which saw HRH The Princess Royal plant the first sapling.
The estate’s Platinum Jubilee Wood will bring a range of benefits, from boosting biodiversity to increasing the resilience of the landscape.
Burghley Estate head forester Peter Glassey said it was a privilege to repeat the successful collaboration with the Woodland Trust from a decade ago: “I love planting trees and The Queen’s Green Canopy is a wonderful vehicle to provide a lasting legacy of Her Majesty’s reign.
“But it is also a recognition of the importance trees and woodlands play in trying to address many of the issues affecting the UK and the world.
“We wish to plant more woodland to help mitigate the loss of our existing woods and plant with a more resilient species mix which will grow and fill the landscape for the next 200 years.”
Miranda Rock, Burghley executive chair, said: “It is a great honour for Burghley to be a part of this exciting and important initiative. Commemorating this historic moment in a way that will positively impact our community, landscape and wildlife is an opportunity we simply couldn’t miss.
“We are especially proud to be the first to announce the planting of a jubilee woodland, it is a marvellous legacy project which will celebrate the supreme dedication of our Queen to her country during her long reign.”