# The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy

The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) is an initiative begun in 2015 as a network of forest conservation programmes throughout the 54 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. By 2016, 16 countries had become involved and, by 2023, the number was 54.

## Origins

The idea was conceived in the 2000s by Member of Parliament Frank Field, but, was met by apathy from the political establishment. When he raised the idea at a Buckingham Palace meeting, the concept found support from Queen Elizabeth II. It is the first environmental enterprise the Queen gave her name to. After approval and endorsement by the QCC, the projects are added to the network and "placed under the protection of the Queen herself."

## Launch

The initiative was officially launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in 2015. The Queen said, "this, and other initiatives, are a practical demonstration of the power of the Commonwealth, working as a group, to effect real change for generations to come." At that time, seven countries were involved, with Singapore being the first, which was acknowledged by Princess Anne, Princess Royal, during a visit there.
The three organisations behind the project are The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), the Commonwealth Forestry Association, and Cool Earth and its aim is to establish a global network of protected indigenous forests, through "raising awareness within the Commonwealth of the value of indigenous forests and to saving them for future generations"; generating "a unique network of forest conservation projects that brings collective credibility and integrity to individual Commonwealth countries"; raising "the profile of the Commonwealth, demonstrating the capacity of its 56 member countries to act together as one to ensure forest conservation"; using "the Commonwealth network to facilitate knowledge exchange, share best practice, and create new collaborative initiatives for forest conservation"; and creating "a physical and lasting legacy of The Queen's leadership of the Commonwealth".

## Progress

ITV broadcast The Queen's Green Planet in April 2018, highlighting many of the initiatives around the world interspersed with footage of the Queen and Sir David Attenborough discussing trees in the gardens of Buckingham Palace; By this time, more than 40 countries had committed to taking part in the initiative. it showcased the "personal stake the royal family and other prominent ambassadors have in conservation efforts." By mid-2019, the number had reached 46 countries. The RCS stated in 2023 that 54 countries were committed to the QCC, bringing 115 sites and projects, totalling some 12 million hectares (29,652,646 acres) of forest, under its umbrella.
In addition to its three sites within the QCC, Australia contributes via the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, which is part of the country's foreign aid program.

## Projects

| Country | Location | Approx. area |
| Angola | Luengue-Luiana National Park | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Victoria Park Botanical Gardens | 2.4 ha (5.9 acres) |
| Australia | Bulburin National Park | |
| Australia | Cleland National Park | |
| Australia | Forests of K'gari (Fraser Island) | |
| Australia | 20 Million Trees Programme | 13,825 ha (34,160 acres) |
| The Bahamas | Blue Hole Conservation Forest | 32,774 acres (13,263 ha) |
| Bangladesh | Pirgonj Reserve Forest | 500 acres (200 ha) |
| Barbados | Turner's Hall Wood | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Belize | Chiquibul Forest | 423,000 acres (171,000 ha) |
| Bermuda | Walsingham Nature Reserve | 23 acres (9.3 ha) |
| Botswana | Thotayamarula Forest Conservation Area | 192 ha (470 acres) |
| Brunei | Berakas Forest Reserve | 348 ha (860 acres) |
| Brunei | Pulau Selirong Forest Reserve | 2,566 ha (6,340 acres) |
| Brunei | Ulu Temburong National Park | |
| Cameroon | Sangmelima Training and Research Forest | 13,500 ha (33,000 acres) |
| Canada | Great Bear Rainforest | 64,000 km$^2$ (25,000 sq mi) |
| Cyprus | Troodos National Forest Park | 9,000 ha (22,000 acres) |
| Dominica | Dominican forests | |
| Fiji | Colo-i-Suva Forest Park | 92 ha (230 acres) |
| Fiji | Emalu | 7,400 ha (18,000 acres) |
| Ghana | Cape Three Points Forest Reserve | |
| Grenada | Levera Wetland | |
| Guyana | Kanashen Amerindian Protected Area | 7,000 km$^2$ (2,700 sq mi) |
| India | Tillari Conservation Reserve | 29.53 km$^2$ (11.40 sq mi) |
| Jamaica | Dolphin Head Forest Reserve | 1,167 ha (2,880 acres) |
| Kenya | Mau Forest Complex | 455,000 ha (1,120,000 acres) |
| Kiribati | Aranuka Mangrove Preservation Project | |
| Malawi | Chimaliro Forest Reserve | |
| Malawi | Liwonde National Park | 54,800 ha (135,000 acres) |
| Malawi | Mangochi Forest Reserve | 37,600 ha (93,000 acres) |
| Malaysia | Raja Musa Forest Reserve | 230 km$^2$ (89 sq mi) |
| Maldives | Keylakunu | 110 ha (270 acres) |
| Maldives | Neykurendhoo Mangrove | 169.3 ha (418 acres) |
| Malta | Verdala Palace rehabilitation project | 6.8 ha (17 acres) |
| Mauritius | Black River Gorges National Park | 71 km$^2$ (27 sq mi) |
| Mauritius | Ilot Gabriel Nature Reserve | |
| Namibia | N/a'an ku sê Forest Conservation Revegetation Project | |
| Nauru | Nauru Project | |
| New Zealand | The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust | 190,276.8 ha (470,184 acres) |
| Nigeria | IITA Tree Heritage Park | |
| Nigeria | Kawari Forest Reserve | 76.7 km$^2$ (29.6 sq mi) |
| Pakistan | Sustainable Forest Management | 7 areas |
| Papua New Guinea | Orangerie Bay | 16.2 km$^2$ (6.3 sq mi) |
| Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea—North | 1,500 km$^2$ (580 sq mi) |
| Rwanda | Arboretum of Ruhande | 500 acres (200 ha) |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | The Central Forest Reserve | 40.3 km$^2$ (15.6 sq mi) |
| Saint Lucia | The Castries Water Works Reserve | 14 km$^2$ (5.4 sq mi) |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | The Vermont Nature Trail | |
| Samoa | O le Pūpū Puē National Park | 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) |
| Seychelles | Seychelles | |
| Sierra Leone | Tacugama Reserve | 170.75 km$^2$ (65.93 sq mi) |
| Singapore | Singapore Botanic Gardens | 6 ha (15 acres) |
| Singapore | Bukit Timah | 163 ha (400 acres) |
| South Africa | The Knysna and Tsitsikamma Forests of the Garden Route National Park | 360 km$^2$ (140 sq mi) |
| Sri Lanka | Restoration of Trincomalee forest land | 10 ha (25 acres) |
| Tonga | 'Eua National Park | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | The Arena Forest Reserve | 15.4 km$^2$ (5.9 sq mi) |
| Tuvalu | The Queen Elizabeth II Park | |
| Uganda | Mount Elgon | |
| United Kingdom | Coed Gwent (Wentwood) | |
| United Kingdom | Epping Forest | 24.76 km$^2$ (9.56 sq mi) |
| United Kingdom | Hawcombe Woods National Nature Reserve | 100 ha (250 acres) |
| United Kingdom | Forest of Marston Vale | 15,799 ha (39,040 acres) |
| United Kingdom | The National Forest | 200 sq mi (520 km$^2$) |
| Vanuatu | | |
| Zambia | | |