King plants tree near Palace lake to celebrate Commonwealth forest network
Charles personally chose the October Glory maple tree and selected its position in the gardens of the royal residence.
The King has planted a red maple tree at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the success of a global network of Commonwealth forests created in tribute to his late mother.
Charles used a spade to shovel dirt at the base of the Acer rubrum, “October Glory” near the lake’s edge in the gardens of the royal residence to commemorate the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC).
The King, a passionate gardener and environmentalist, personally chose the species of sapling, which is known for its striking display of scarlet leaves in the autumn.
The monarch used a watering can to give the young tree its first drink in its new home on Tuesday.
Charles is known for saying “Good luck tree” at each official tree planting, followed by a ritual of touching the trunk for luck.
The QCC project was launched in 2015 to encourage Commonwealth countries to create a network of protected areas of forest to mark Elizabeth II’s lifetime of service as head of the family of nations.
Some 54 countries have since taken part, dedicating more than 115 sites and projects, and conserving nearly 12 million hectares of indigenous forests including botanical gardens in the Caribbean and a gene bank of forest in Rwanda.
The red maple leaf features on the Canadian flag but it is understood the sapling was chosen for its appearance, rather than to signify support for Canada amid its trade war with its neighbouring US.
