Charles’s Jubilee treebute

In honour of his mother, Prince awards special status to 70 of Britain’s most significant trees

THEIR majestic boughs have shaped the story of the nation.

Now 70 of the country’s mostsignificantandspectacular treesare to be given a special statusas part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubileecelebrations.

They include the Lincoln shireapple treereputed to have helpedSir Isaac Newton develop thetheory of gravity when he sawa fruit drop from its branches, anda church yard yew in the Cots wolds who sevast trunk is said tohave inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’sLord OfThe Rings writings.

The Prince of Wales todaylaunches thecampaign to honourthe trees, one for every year ofhis mother’s reign, with a videomessage recorded in front of a423-year-olds y camore at DumfriesHouse in Ayrshire.

Hesays:‘Plantedin1599, duringthe reigns of Queen Elizabeth Iand King James VI,it isremarkable that this ancient tree is a soldasShakespeare’s Hamlet and Caravaggio’s David And Goliath…Trees and woodlands have a profound significancefor us all–their stead fastand reassuring presence a reminderof our long-serving Sovereign andher enduringdedication.’

The project will also recognise70 ancientwoodlands and formspart of the Queen’s Green Canopyproject to plant and preservetrees.

In her seven decades on the throne, HerMajesty has planted more than1,500 treesaround the world.

The tree is a running motif of thejubilee celebrations, with morethan a million people having‘planted a tree for the jubilee ’thisyear. And agiant tree-likestructure will be installed outside Buckingham Palace over the summer. It will be made up of 350 young trees in pots, which will be planted across the UK once the installationis dismantled.

Other trees chosen for the specialconservation status include theim pressive National Championsilver fir in Argyll , known as TheMonster and believed to bethe large stint he UK ; the

Royal Oakat Boscobel House ,Shropshire, which is a descendant of the tree in which the future CharlesII hid to escape Parliamentari an forces;and a hug eye winMuch Marcle, Hereford shire,which is so sovast that a bench has been constructed with in its trunk.

Darren Moorcroft, chief executiveof theWoodland Trust, said: ‘Ancient woods and trees are jewels in the UK’s landscape.

‘The Woodland Trust is delighted the Queen’s Green Canopy is highlighting lighting the need to protect these treasures in our natural heritage.’