“I have been especially touched by one such project, The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, which has been proposed by Commonwealth countries wanting to harness their collective expertise and resources to protect the world’s forests.”
Photo credit: Chris Burville
9th March, 2020
We are a delighted to announce today that Bermuda has joined the QCC, with the Walsingham Nature Reserve as their chosen project.
Bermuda is the first UK Overseas Territory to join the QCC initiative.
Click here to find out more about the incredible biodiversity that is protected by the Walsingham Nature Reserve QCC project.
This year’s Commonwealth Day theme is ‘Delivering a Common Future’, highlighting how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ to help achieve some of its biggest goals like protecting natural resources, with initiatives such as the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. You can read the Commonwealth Day Message by Her Majesty The Queen here.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC), conceived by the Right Honourable Frank Field MP, was launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta, in 2015. The QCC is a unique network of forest conservation initiatives, which involves all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The QCC presents a rare opportunity to unite the whole Commonwealth family and save one of the world’s most important natural habitats – forests. By creating a pan-Commonwealth network of forest conservation projects, the QCC will mark Her Majesty The Queen’s service to the Commonwealth while conserving indigenous forests for future generations.
The QCC is committed to raising awareness within the Commonwealth of the value of indigenous forests and to saving them for future generations.
It will create a unique network of forest conservation projects that brings collective credibility and integrity to individual Commonwealth initiatives.
It will raise the profile of the Commonwealth, demonstrating the capacity of its 53 member countries to act together as one to ensure forest conservation.
It will use the Commonwealth network to facilitate knowledge exchange, share best practice and create new, collaborative initiatives for forest conservation.
It will create a physical and lasting legacy of The Queen’s leadership of the Commonwealth.
Every Commonwealth country has the opportunity to participate in the QCC by nominating and dedicating existing or future conservation projects that meet the broad objectives of the initiative.
Those countries with limited forest cover will also have the opportunity to participate through the planting of native trees, the conservation of other indigenous vegetation, or by supporting QCC partnerships with fellow Commonwealth members.
So far, over 45 countries are participating, with over 60 projects.
A major advantage of the QCC is its utilisation of existing forestry resources and projects throughout the Commonwealth. Participation is free and comes without regulatory obligations for accredited projects. In fact, we believe helping to save the earth, shouldn’t cost the earth.
The Royal Commonwealth Society is a network of individuals and organisations committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world.
Cool Earth is an award winning UK-based charity that works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction.
The Commonwealth Forestry Association links foresters, scientists, students and policy-makers throughout the Commonwealth to seek ways of wise forest management.
Projects considered for inclusion in the QCC should have the endorsement of the relevant government and forestry or conservation authority, contain clear objectives that include sustainable forest conservation and encourage, where possible, the participation of local people in the management of the project.
As a flagship programme in The Queen’s name, it is important that the proposed projects are free of political controversy and unlikely to attract adverse publicity.
The Royal Commonwealth Society, in consultation with Cool Earth and the Commonwealth Forestry Association, coordinates an accreditation process to ensure that proposed projects meet the criteria for QCC inclusion.
Your email address will be shared with Cool Earth, The Royal Commonwealth Society and The Commonwealth Forestry Association who will send occasional emails about the Queens Commonwealth Canopy project. We won’t share your details with anyone else.
