Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: 70-acre woodland planned at Burghley House

The grounds of 16th century Elizabethan mansion Burghley House will be the location for a new woodland, planted to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year.

The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, is calling on landowners to help mark Her Majesty’s 70-year reign with a 70-acre area of new woodland created to help fight the climate and nature crisis.

Burghley House, one of the most impressive surviving houses of the sixteenth century is set in a 300-acre deer park which was landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

Burghley’s newest woodland will compliment the 60-acre Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Wood created with the Woodland Trust in 2012, which saw HRH The Princess Royal plant the first sapling.

The plans are part of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), which is described by the Trust as “a unique tree-planting initiative which is inviting people from across the UK to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee'”.

The QGC is encouraging everyone to play a role in enhancing the environment by planting trees until the end of the official planting season in March, picking up in October through to the end of the Jubilee year.

Burghley House, Stamford, was built between 1555 and 1587 by William Cecil for Queen Elizabeth I Photo: John Lawrence

Everyone ranging from individuals to Scouts and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates will be invited to take part, in a bid to plant sustainably and create a legacy in honour of the Queen’s leadership that will benefit future generations.

The target is for 70 Platinum Jubilee Woods planted, supporting the trust’s long-term mass-scale woodland creation aim.

Burghley House head forester Peter Glassey said it was a privilege to build on the successful collaboration with the Woodland Trust a decade ago: “I love planting trees and The Queen’s Green Canopy is a wonderful vehicle to provide a lasting legacy of Her Majesty’s reign.

“But it is also a recognition of the importance trees and woodlands play in trying to address many of the issues affecting the UK and the world.

“We wish to plant more woodland to help mitigate the loss of our existing woods and plant with a more resilient species mix which will grow and fill the landscape for the next 200 years.”

Peter Glassey, head forester for the Burghley Estate in the grounds | Photo: Burghley Estate

Dr Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, described the partnership with the QGC as the “ideal way to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service”.

“The first of our wonderful new woods will not only be a fantastic living and growing legacy for Her Majesty, but will also help fight the climate and nature crisis by locking up carbon and creating essential new wildlife habitats.

“These young woods and trees will join millions of others planted by the Woodland Trust which are already working tirelessly for people and nature.”

As well as inviting members of the public to plant new trees, the Queen’s Green Canopy will dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the UK and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.

The Woodland Trust is also giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities to make sure everybody in the Uk has the chance to plant a tree. To apply click here.

Burghley House is the site of the previous Diamond Jubilee Woods, which stands at 60-acres | Photo: Matty Graham