The Queen’s Green Planet

The Queen’s Green Planet

ITV announces new campaign with The Woodland Trust and Sainsbury’s

Featuring a unique conversation between The Queen and Sir David Attenborough as they walked in the garden at Buckingham Palace last summer, a new landmark documentary from ITV will explore the ambition of a remarkable new initiative - a vast network of native forests across Britain and the Commonwealth, protected forever in The Queen's name.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) is creating a network of forest conservation initiatives across all 53 Commonwealth countries to mark Her Majesty's lifetime's service to the Commonwealth, while preserving natural habitat for future generations.

In the run up to this landmark documentary entitled The Queen’s Green Planet (made by ITN Productions), ITV today announced a special campaign giving viewers at home the opportunity to be a part of this initiative.

The Woodland Trust, will provide 50,000 trees for ITV viewers, funded by Sainsbury’s, for a plant-a-tree campaign which will run on the network leading up to the documentary’s transmission in mid April.

ITV daytime programmes Good Morning Britain and This Morning will be giving viewers the opportunity to sign up to receive one of the 10,000 packs containing five trees. The campaign is open to all viewers as well as schools, community groups, and associations.

Each pack will contain five UK-sourced and native broadleaf trees – two silver birch, two rowan, and a hazel – for ITV viewers to plant as their own contribution to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.

The packs will be free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. Successful applicants will first receive a special commemorative booklet which will be sent out in Spring to coincide with the documentary's transmission. This will include information and photographs on the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy project, and educational information about trees, and how to nurture them.

The trees will then be sent out in Autumn 2018, the best season in which to plant young trees, and packs will include guidance on how to plant and nurture them.

Woodland Trust Chair Baroness Young said:

“The Woodland Trust is delighted to be partnering with ITV in support of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. Thanks to funding from Sainsbury’s we are giving people the opportunity to connect with nature and their wider community by planting and nurturing native trees while becoming a tangible part of this inspirational legacy. Trees are a cornerstone of our landscape and countryside, forming an essential and cherished part of our cultural identity. They are crucial in improving soil health and water quality, reducing carbon, trapping pollutants, slowing the flow of flood water, sheltering livestock, providing a home for wildlife or a space for us to breathe. They look good, they do good and we are thrilled Her Majesty feels the same.”

Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe said:

“As the Woodland Trust’s largest corporate partner, we’re committed to raising awareness of the importance of the UK’s woods and trees, and contributing to their conservation. I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by woods, so trees have a particular resonance with me. Sainsbury’s recently planted its three millionth tree with the Trust, and the thought of being able to get 50,000 more in the ground as part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, in support of this fantastic documentary is an exciting prospect. We hope people will embrace the opportunity to join us in this initiative.”

ITV’s Controller of Factual Jo Clinton Davis said,

"Our film, The Queen's Green Planet, shows not only the Queen's interest in trees, but also how an ambitious global project has spread across the Commonwealth, with countries all around the world dedicating forests and tree planting initiatives in her name. Rare is the project that starts as a finite one hour documentary and ends up generating the momentum for a timeless campaigning event. We are thrilled that The Woodland Trust and Sainsbury's have come together to give our viewers the opportunity to be part of this, The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy.

ENDS

About ITV’s documentary, The Queen’s Green Planet

Featuring a unique conversation between The Queen and Sir David Attenborough as they walked in the garden at Buckingham Palace last summer, a new landmark documentary from ITV will explore the ambition of a remarkable new initiative – a vast network of native forests across Britain and the Commonwealth, protected forever in The Queen's name. The documentary from ITN Productions follows the progress of The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, the conservation project aimed at raising awareness of the value of indigenous forests, and of preserving them for future generations. At the centre of this landmark documentary is the conversation between Her Majesty The Queen and Sir David Attenborough in which they discuss trees, nature and conservation and the ambition of The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy. The documentary was commissioned by ITV Head of Factual Entertainment Sue Murphy and ITV Controller of Factual Jo Clinton Davis. The award-winning production team includes Director Jane Treays and Executive Producer Chris Shaw, Editorial Director of ITN Productions.

About The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy

The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) is a unique network of forest conservation projects which unites the Commonwealth family of nations to save one of the world’s most important natural habitats. Established in the name of Her Majesty The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth, this initiative is committed to raising awareness of the value of established indigenous forests, and saving them for future generations, as well as planting new forest. https://queenscommonwealthcanopy.org/ @queenscanopy

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About The Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife. The Trust has three key aims: i) protect ancient woodland which is rare, unique and irreplaceable, ii) restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life, iii) plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering over 22,500 hectares. Access to its woods is free.

About Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury's has supported the Woodland Trust since 2004 with the launch of free range Woodland eggs. Since then donations through product sales have expanded to chicken, turkey, apples and honey. The partnership has helped the Woodland Trust to plant three million trees, including establishing a special Sainsbury’s Wood at The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood in Leicestershire. The partnership has also enabled the Woodland Trust to provide support and advice to Sainsbury’s on tree planting and maintenance to deliver to their farmers across the UK. Most recently, Sainsbury’s is supporting the Woodland Trust’s First World War Centenary Woods project.

About ITN Productions

ITN Productions is ITN’s in-house production business producing TV programmes across factual, entertainment and current affairs for UK, US, and international channels. Recent awards include an Emmy for Children of Syria and two consecutive International Emmys for Escape from ISIS and Children on the Frontline, as well as a Peabody and two BAFTAS for Children on the Frontline. ITNP makes factual programming for every major UK broadcaster as well as a wide range of international broadcasters. ITN Productions produces major global series and specials such as Killer Instinct with Chris Hansen(Discovery ID), Elizabeth (Channel 5 / SBS), Flight 370: The Missing Links (DNI), and The Road To Waco (Smithsonian Channel). Observational and factual entertainment programmes include easyJet: Inside the Cockpit (ITV) and Going Back Giving Back (BBC1). In addition to factual programming, ITNP is Britain’s leading independent producer of current affairs, including ITV’s After the News, Dispatches for Channel 4; and fast-turnaround documentaries such as Super Hurricanes (Science Channel) and Campus Killer Santa Barbara (A&E), and live debates such as The Great British Break-Up? and Europe: The Final Debate with Jeremy Paxman (Channel 4).