A campaign by Queen Elizabeth II to plant and preserve trees as part of her platinum jubilee in 2022 has launched in Suffolk.
The Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) is a campaign to leave a lasting legacy to mark the jubilee next year.
It launches today in partnership with Suffolk parish councils, Ipswich Oasis, Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council and other communities.
Work will be done to preserve and enhance existing woodland, while increasing both canopy cover and access to the amazing green space in the region.
The ambition is to plant or preserve a tree for every resident in Suffolk for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
The project will also focus on Suffolk residents who don’t have access to green space or that have the most to gain from the mental and physical health benefits it provides.
Ipswich Oasis project, one of the recipients of the Towns Fund, has the backing of both the county and borough councils to develop opportunities to mark the jubilee as part of the QGC for Suffolk.
Richard Bloomfield, from the Ipswich Oasis QGC project team, said: “Together, an ambitious planting programme is being investigated which will include open public spaces, gardens, highways and developments in and around Ipswich."
The ambitions of Ipswich Oasis match those of QGC - particularly as studies show that urban greenery does not just help lessen the impacts of climate change, improve biodiversity and air quality, but that human exposure to green spaces improves mental and physical wellbeing as well.
At the heart of Ipswich Oasis is a green trail through the town and around the waterfront, which hopes to incorporate a dedication to the Queen.
Faye Harburt, the inspiration behind Ipswich Oasis, is determined to “make a landmark, living, green wall that will act as a focal point, or the town’s green heart”.
Increasing Ipswich's tree canopy cover — currently 18.9% — is a long-term aim of the borough council, and this partnership project aims to surpass the 20% target.
The community-led project will be co-delivered by volunteers and is also supported by the Business Improvement District (BID) and Ipswich Central.
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