Going green to honour our Queen

Volunteers at the Birstall country park planted 105 donated trees last week, including one grown from a seed collected from one of the royal household estates.

And many more schools and community groups across North Kirklees are keen to plant trees in honour of Her Majesty.

The initiative, organised by woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust, is aiming to see six million saplings planted across the UK in 2012 as part of its Jubilee Project.

Across the UK, sixty Diamond Woods – comprising of at least 60 acres – will be created, alongside hundreds of smaller Jubilee Woods.

Landowners, communities and individuals can all pledge to plant a tree.

Oakwell Hall countryside ranger Emma Crowley said: “It’s incredible to think that in just five years our trees will be as tall as us. The fruit from the trees will be available for us and the Oakwell wildlife to harvest.”

Coun David Sheard (Lab, Heckmondwike), cabinet member for Streetscene, said during the Civil War, Oakwell Hall’s Batt family were staunch royalists.

He said; “Tree planting is a good way to mark the jubilee in our local area and we hope the trees will help to attract wildlife and make a real difference to everyone who sees them.”

Free tree packs for school are also up for grabs from the trust to help communities continue the green project.

Each pack contains a special royal sapling and planting is set to continue until spring 2013, with schools across the district already signed up.

Community groups and friends groups from local parks are also joining in, with some planting hundreds of trees in their areas.

Earlier this month the Queen and Princess Anne planted a native English oak at the Sandringham Diamond Jubilee Wood.

Are you planting a tree for the Jubilee? We want to hear your plans. Contact our newsroom using the details on page two.