QGC Ambassador Sir David Attenborough plants a tree to honour the late Queen Elizabeth

QGC Ambassador Sir David Attenborough has planted an English oak tree to officially open the Platinum Jubilee Woodland in Richmond Park planted in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy. Sir David was joined by a group of QGC Junior Foresters from schools in London. 

The woodland has been planted to celebrate and honour the late Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime of service.

The tree, chosen by Sir David, is one of the final few to be planted as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative which concludes on 31 March – the end of the planting season in the UK. The project invited people from across the nation to plant trees in honour of Queen Elizabeth II to mark the Platinum Jubilee and benefit future generations.

In all, 70 young, broadleaved trees have been planted in the woodland, with help from volunteers and people from the local community, to represent each year of Her Late Majesty’s reign. They include oak, Dutch elm disease-resistant elm, small-leaved lime, and sweet chestnut trees. They are planted around a focal point which will later incorporate a seating area for rest and reflection. These larger canopy trees are complemented by smaller native trees and hedging such as hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, elder and dogwood.

The woodland provides respite for visitors and creates new habitats to support wildlife, including the endangered white-letter hairstreak butterfly and the cardinal click beetle. The shrubs will also provide shelter and a food source for small mammals and invertebrates. 

The woodland was funded by The Royal Parks charity which manages Richmond Park, alongside generous support from The Friends of Richmond Park who funded the trees, and players of People’s Postcode Lottery, all through a project called ‘Help Nature Thrive’.

Sir David Attenborough, Patron of The Friends of Richmond Park charity and Queen’s Green Canopy Ambassador, said:

“I am thrilled to be opening this new woodland to honour and celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and life of service. The late Queen was very fond of The Royal Parks and was a great lover of trees, so this is a fitting tribute to her memory.  Its creation also marks the continuing conservation of this protected landscape, and the wonderful wildlife within, so that it can be enjoyed by many generations to come.

“The Queen’s Green Canopy has created an invaluable national legacy for our children, future generations and the planet itself.”

Paul Richards, Richmond Park Manager, added:

“This tranquil new woodland marks 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign by providing a welcoming community space for all.

“We hope that by enhancing the rich diversity of wildlife within this important National Nature Reserve, the woodland will inspire discovery and enjoyment of the natural environment for future generations – and that our youngest visitors especially will enjoy returning over the decades to notice the changes in the woodland as the trees mature.”

Roger Hillyer, Chair of the Friends of Richmond Park, said:

“The Friends of Richmond Park are delighted to support the creation of this new woodland as a legacy in honour of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Today’s planting by Sir David and school children from the Friends Discoverers educational programme will enhance the diversity of this much-loved National Nature Reserve.”

Charlotte Cass, Help Nature Thrive Project Manager, said:

“It was wonderful to see so many local people from across the generations making a positive difference to Richmond Park on our Queen’s Green Canopy planting day. We’re grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and everyone involved, for bringing together local communities to plant woodland that they can watch grow for years to come.”

Notes to editors:

For general media enquiries please contact: 0300 061 2128 or email press@royalparks.org.uk

For enquiries about the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative please contact Marnie Gaffney MVO, Head of Communications, The Queen’s Green Canopy: +447793266675 marnie.gaffney@queensgreencanopy.org

For further information about The Royal Parks charity, please visit: royalparks.org.uk.

The Platinum Jubilee Woodland is planted over an area slightly larger than two standard football pitches (around 16100m2 or four acres) in the western part of the park, close to Ham Cross plantation and adjacent to the Tamsin Trail.

The woodland is fenced to protect trees from browsing deer. However, it is free to access via gates and is open to the public whenever the park is open.

Wildlife benefits of trees planted:

See blog here: The Royal Parks to create new woodland in Richmond Park to mark Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – The Royal Parks

• Oak Quercus robur: Oak trees are associated with more species of wildlife that any other native tree in England – hosting a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, lichen, mosses, invertebrates, birds, and mammals. For example, they host the cardinal click beetle – which very rare and only found on a few sites across the UK, including Richmond Park. Other species hosted include the purple hairstreak butterfly, wood warblers, blue great tits – and lots of different bats.
• Lime Tilia cordata: lime leaves provide a preferred food source for caterpillars of many moth species – including the lime hawk, peppered, vapourer, triangle, and scarce hook-tip moths. Aphids feed on the foliage – providing food for insects, including hoverflies, ladybirds and beetles, which in turn attract many birds including blue tits, long-tailed tits and great tits. Aphids also produce a honeydew, which is harvested by ants and occasionally bees and other insects. Lime flowers provide nectar and pollen for native bee species such as bumble bees, solitary bees and honeybees. 
• Elm Ulmus species: provide food for the caterpillars of many moths, including the peppered, light emerald and white-spotted pinion moths. Caterpillars of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly feed on elm leaves. This native butterfly is native to the UK and an endangered species which has declined dramatically since Dutch elm disease arrived in the UK. Many birds such as gold finches eat elm seeds and the species supports the elm leaf beetles.
• Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa: Sweet chestnut trees have prolific flowers which support a many different pollinators – including a number of bee species.
• Smaller native trees such as hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, elder, alder buckthorn, dogwood. Low-growing, multi-stemmed shrubs provide excellent cover for wildlife including mice, birds and insects. They can also be a rich food source for invertebrates providing flowers, leaves and berries for nectar and food, while leafmould can provide a refuge area for hibernating insects.  The early emerging and beautiful brimstone butterfly is attracted to alder buckthorn to lay its eggs and support its larvae.

About The Royal Parks

The Royal Parks is the charity which manages, protects, and improves the parks in an exemplary and sustainable manner so that everyone, now and in the future, has the opportunity to enjoy their natural and historic environments.

It costs around £55m a year to manage the parks. The charity raises around 80 percent of this money itself, with the remaining 20 percent coming from the Government.

For further information please visit: www.royalparks.org.uk and follow us on @theroyalparks, Facebook.com/TheRoyalParksLondon and Instagram.com/TheRoyalParks.

About The Friends of Richmond Park

The Friends of Richmond Park is a charity which is dedicated to “the conservation and protection of Richmond Park and its peace and natural beauty for the benefit of the public and future generations” and to “advance public education about the Park”

For further information please visit: www.frp.org.uk or follow The Friends on @FRPTweets, Facebook.com/thefriendsofrichmondpark and Instagram.com/friendsrichmondpark/

About The Queen’s Green Canopy

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree-planting initiative to honour the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. As a nationwide initiative created to mark the Platinum Jubilee, the QGC was due to conclude in December – the end of the Jubilee year. Following the wishes of His Majesty The King, the QGC was extended until the end of March 2023 to give people an opportunity to plant trees in memoriam to honour Her Majesty.