The planting of a young lime tree in a Wallingford garden last Friday, marked the start of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
It was for the Queen's Green Canopy project, which is part of celebrations for her 70 years on the throne.
It is hoped that the launching of this tree planting project inspires people and other towns to plant more trees in their gardens and green spaces.
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Attending the event was the Mayor of Wallingford, Marcus Harris accompanied by councillors Katharine Keats-Rohan, Pete Sudbury, and Ross Lester, as well as Ken Lester, the High Steward of Wallingford.
Councillor Keats-Rohan said: “Oxfordshire has only 9% tree cover, but trees are not the whole story, especially in an area like ours that is dominated by the Thames floodplain. This is why it is important to see this as an opportunity to progress natural conservation projects more broadly, thinking also of hedge laying and water meadow and wetland restitution, as well as encouraging tree plantings in domestic gardens.”
Mr Harris and Mrs Keats-Rohan are leading the Queen’s Green Canopy OX10 initiative, which brings together all the parishes of the OX10 postcode district to collaborate on a big tree-planting and hedge-laying boost for the area to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
She explained that, last year, when Wallingford Town Council was asked to consider a contribution to the Queen’s Green Canopy for the Jubilee in 2022, mayor Marcus Harris saw an opportunity for the town to work with neighbouring parish councils to devise a joint project alongside individual parish projects.
According to Mrs Keats-Rohan the initiative received a lot of support. She said: “Working together will serve us well not only in planting our individual contributions to an OX10 Queen’s Green Canopy, but in making the voice of all local councils louder in the demand for climate and environmental action from central government.”
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Mr Harris said: “We are pulling together all of the OX10 parishes to work as a postcode. Between all of us, we can come up with many more projects.
“It is fantastic to see Wallingford getting greener, planting in more trees, adding to the beauty of the place and celebrating the Queens Jubilee. As well as cooperating with fellow parishes!”
Mr Harris, explained that, with the town’s close connection to royalty over the years, they want to embrace Her Majesty’s 70th reign anniversary.
The Queen’s Green Canopy scheme was launched to encourage people to plant trees from the start of the tree-planting season in October 2021 through to the end of 2022.
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