Trees dedicated to the late Queen
TREES planted in a Kilmacolm beauty spot have been dedicated to the late Queen Elizabeth as part of a major environmental project.
Around 25 trees that were recently planted in the village’s Birkmyre Park have now been adopted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative with support from the Lord-Lieutenant, Colonel Peter McCarthy.
Established to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee last year with people invited to ‘plant a tree to mark the jubilee’, the project has continued at the wishes of the King as a lasting tribute to his late mother and Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
The trees in Kilmacolm are part of a community-led £65,000 improvements project for Birkmyre Park being delivered by Inverclyde Council.
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It will also include the addition of wildflowers, additional seating and picnic tables, and an extension to the children’s play park.
Councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s convener of environment and regeneration, said: “It’s a fitting tribute to the late Queen that these trees have been dedicated in her memory as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.
“As well as honouring Her Majesty, the project has nature and the environment at its heart – something Queen Elizabeth was passionate about during her reign – and it aligns perfectly with the council’s ambitions to plant more trees, improve biodiversity and ultimately do what we can to reduce and offset harmful carbon emissions.”
A mixture of species have been planted in Birkmyre Park, including two varieties of acer, two types of cherry, and silver birch.
Lord-Lieutenant, Colonel Peter McCarthy, said: “It’s marvellous to see a beautiful mix of trees here and in the fullness of time they will be surrounded by wildflowers.
“The Queen was such a passionate advocate for nature, wildlife, and the environment and this is a wonderful gesture that the trees here in Birkmyre Park, Kilmacolm, have been included as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy project.
“Her Majesty of course visited Inverclyde as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 and I’m absolutely delighted to see this in memory of the Queen. I am enormously grateful to Inverclyde Council for this initiative.”
As a nationwide initiative created to mark the Platinum Jubilee, the Queen’s Green Canopy was due to conclude in December at the end of the Jubilee year.
However, as the official tree planting season in the United Kingdom is from October to March, the initiative was extended to include the full tree planting season, beginning in October 2022 and concluding in March 2023.
Over a million trees were planted in Her Majesty’s name across the nation during the first planting season alone from October 2021 to March 2022.
The extension until the end of this month will build on this legacy and serve as a lasting tribute to the Queen’s remarkable service to her country and her people.
An interactive map has been created on the Queen’s Green Canopy website to showcase the planting projects across the UK and will also continue to the end of March 2023, giving people an opportunity to be part of this special legacy.
Find out more about the Queen’s Green Canopy project online at queensgreencanopy.org