Hertfordshire’s Queen’s Green Canopy takes root with 36,000 trees to be planted in the next year

The first of over 36,000 trees have been planted as part of Hertfordshire County Council’s efforts in the Queen’s Green Canopy, a project which encourages people to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.

Currently just over 850 trees have been planted, including 100 trees at 43 Hertfordshire schools, as well as on highways verges across the county.

The remaining 36,000 trees will be planted across a number of sites in Hertfordshire over the next 18 months.

This year’s planting includes a ‘statement’ site at County Hall, Hertford, where 27 trees were planted followed by a small ceremony during the Sustainable Hertfordshire Eco-Fair on Saturday, November 27.

In addition, an avenue of 30 lime trees at Aldenham Country Park make up the second ‘statement’ planting site, with 350 more trees planned for Aldenham next year as part of the park’s 100 Aker Wood.

Eric Buckmaster, executive member for the environment said: “The Queen’s Green Canopy is a brilliant opportunity for us to honour Her Majesty’s 70 years of service while also working towards several of our key Sustainable Hertfordshire ambitions.

“Tree planting helps us to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, improve our air quality and biodiversity, as well as having positive impacts on physical and mental health and wellbeing.

"We want to encourage as many people as possible in Hertfordshire to get involved in the Queen’s Green Canopy.”

Residents looking to get involved with the Queen’s Green Canopy in Hertfordshire can email [email protected].

The tree planting season in England runs between November and March. The majority of the tree planting due to take place as part of the QGC in Hertfordshire will be in the 2022/2023 planting season.