First Minister plants first tree of oak grove fit for a Queen

The new oak grove is part of the Woodland Trust’s Jubilee Woods project: an ambitious tree-planting campaign to mark the Queen’s historic 2012 Diamond Jubilee. The aim is to plant six million trees across the UK and involve millions of people in the planting. 

Patrick Cregg, director of the Woodland Trust, said: “We are delighted that the First Minister has taken the time to take part in today’s planting.  It’s a fantastic way to mark the Jubilee and an extremely positive gesture for the environment.  Stormont’s new grove consists of 60 oaks, that’s one for each year of the Queen’s reign; and some of the saplings have been grown from acorns gathered from Sandringham Estate.”

At the core of the Jubilee Woods project will be the creation of 60 special Diamond Woods - each at least 60 acres in size - plus hundreds of smaller Jubilee Woods throughout the UK.  In Northern Ireland, land on the doorstep of Whitehead has been chosen as the venue for a Diamond Wood.  This gem is the result of a joint partnership between the Trust and owner Carrickfergus Borough Council. 

Mr Cregg continued: “We hope that other landowners throughout the country will be inspired to transform unused land into flourishing woodland.  A Jubilee Wood can be anything from an acre upwards and we’re offering comprehensive advice and support to help planting get underway. It’s a unique opportunity to mark the Jubilee in a lasting and meaningful way.”

The Trust is also offering thousands of free Jubilee tree packs to schools, youth groups and community groups for planting this November.  Thanks to funding from IKEA, the community tree packs come in a choice of size and are designed to help groups enhance their local neighbourhoods.

To find out how to get involved, visit www.JubileeWoods.org.uk