12,000 trees planted in South Downs National Park

Queen Elizabeth has been a faithful supporter of nature, and the South Downs National Park deems it fitting that one of their most visited country parks is named after her.

To celebrate this special moment in history, over 12,000 trees have been planted in the South Downs – and all of them are dedicated to Her Majesty.

As part of the Trees for the Downs campaign, 30 sites across Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex have received new trees for the Queen’s Green Canopy. Each tree will provide a home for wildlife and help with the National Park’s dedicated nature recovery drive. But none of the planting would be possible without the generosity of the public.

Scores of donations to the South Downs National Park Trust have paid for these Jubilee trees – and the charity is now fundraising to plant more trees this year dedicated to the Queen.

Trees for the Downs is planting iconic species including black poplar, oak, field maple and disease-resistant elms.

Public donations for tree planting in the South Downs

Sonia Lorenzo-Martin, who oversees woodlands in the National Park, said: “These life-giving trees are such a wonderful celebration of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and will be teeming with life in a few years!

“Trees are amazing. They provide clean air for us to breathe, enrich our soils and provide a vital habitat for so many birds, mammals and invertebrates. Planting more trees is a key component of the National Park’s ‘ReNature’ drive to create more space for wildlife to flourish. Your donation will mean we can plant many more Jubilee trees this year and help nature thrive.”

Donate at www.southdownstrust.org.uk/trees-for-the-downs

The tree planting has been made possible thanks to donations from the public, as well as support from Aspinal of London, Cinven, Jude’s – a carbon negative B Corp, Nyetimber and South East Water. Hillier, Frank P Matthews and Peter Shallcross have pioneered the disease-resistant elms for the initiative.