Be one in a million- plant a Jubilee tree (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Be one in a million- plant a Jubilee tree
1:00pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News By Gazette reporter
Dame Judi Dench is planting oaks in her garden
THE Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be marked with the planting of one million trees in the UK.
The Woodland Trust – the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity – has set itself the ambitious task of planting the million trees to celebrate the Queen’s accession to the throne as part of a year of tree planting that will see six million planted across the UK in the trust’s Jubilee Woods project.
February 6 marks the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. Since the winter months are also the best time of year to plant trees, the Woodland Trust is inviting people to help plant the jubilee trees.
In February alone, the trust expects to see 7,500 free tree packs for schools, and over 2,000 community tree packs, planted, and more than 500 acres of woodland created, along with 100,000 individual garden trees and 50,000 trees planted by partner organisations across Britain.
Dame Judi Dench, the multi-award winning film, stage and TV actress and enthusiastic supporter of the Jubilee Woods project, is planting oaks in her garden.
She said: “Whenever a friend or relative dies, I make a point of planting a tree in my garden.
“As soon as I heard about the Jubilee Woods project, I felt I wanted to be a part of it. I support the Woodland Trust because I think too many forests are being destroyed and we should do all we can to conserve what we have and to plant more. The more trees I see, the happier I am.”
Georgina McLeod, head of the Jubilee Woods project, said: “The great news is that everyone can get involved in February and be one in a million.
“But this is just the start, the tree-planting celebrations will take place across the whole year with opportunities for everyone to get involved in planting six million trees.”
l For more information, or to find out how you can get involved and plant your tree for the Jubilee in February 2012, visit the Jubileewoods.org.uk website.
