The Woodland Trust wants a large flagship wood to be at the centre of its plan to plant 6 million new trees and create sixty new diamond woods in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.
Britain is Currently Relatively Treeless
Woodland currently covers less than twelve per cent of Britain's land mass, and only four per cent of that is native woodland, making it one of the least forested regions in Europe and the northern hemisphere.
Wooded areas make up about thirty per cent of the world's land mass.
The Jubilee Woods Tree Planting Project
The Queen is set to plant the first tree, and many of the others will be planted by local communities and schools.
Georgina Mcleod, the project leader at the Woodland Trust's head of jubilee woods was quoted in an article by Mark Kinver on the BBC website titled Woodland Trust searching for jubilee wood site (July 30th 2011) as stating: 'We are going to create the huge 500-acre one, and we want 59 other locations to create a 60-acre (24ha) woodland each.'
The large park would take three or four years to complete, with half a million trees planted.
The trees will mostly consist of broadleaf species, such as ash, oak, rowan, birch and hornbeam.
Scotsman Reports Plans for Diamond Jubilee Wood in Edinburgh
Michael Blackley reported in the article, Branching out to celebrate jubilee (21st September, 2011) that Edinburgh council was hoping to lease land next to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to the Woodland Trust so they could plant a wood to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee.
As well as taking part in the Jubilee Woods Project, they also hope that the wood will be therapeutic for patients recovering in the hospital.
Blackley's article quoted a trust spokeswoman as stating: "The benefits of this site fit in with a lot of our objectives and aims. One of the reasons we want to create more woodland is because of the health agenda. So close to a hospital, we believe seeing green space could help aid recovery."
The Jubilee Woods Project Draws Nearer
It is hoped that tree planting will commence in November 2011, and will continue throughout 2012.
The project is an ambitious one, and if successful will make a significant change to the landscape of Britain.
The new woods should be beneficial for people, wildlife and the planet.
The Queen's eldest son and heir to her throne, Prince Charles, was announced as the president of conservation and environmental charity WWF-UK for their 50th anniversary year in September, 2011.
Marc Latham - Doctor of Philosophy and experienced freelance writer searching for truth and meaning, and reporting it in clear and concise copy.
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