Jubilee Tree Planting at the Bahamas National Trust’s Retreat – GOV.UK

The Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy ship HMS Medway and the British High Commissioner, Sarah Dickson, joined BNT President Geoff Andrews and Executive Director Eric Carey to plant a tree for the Jubilee.

Since the beginning of 2020, HMS MEDWAY has been deployed to the Caribbean as the Royal Navys permanent presence in the region. She provides support and humanitarian aid in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster and works side-by-side with regional law enforcement, helping to stop the flow of illegal drugs from South America to Europe and North America. The ship is visiting Nassau from January 25 28 as part of its preparations for the 2022 hurricane season. The Commanding Officer, Chris Hollingworth was joined by the UKs Defence Attach, Lt Col Simon Westlake, who leads on defence cooperation between the UK and The Bahamas.

The year 2022 will see celebrations for Her Majesty The Queens Platinum Jubilee. To mark the 70th anniversary of her reign, a unique tree planting initiative known as The Queens Green Canopy has been created. The aim of this initiative is to inspire everyone, from individuals to community groups, schools, and corporates, to play their part in enhancing our environment. With a focus on planting sustainably, the Queens Green Canopy encourages planting trees to create a legacy, which will benefit future generations.

The Retreat Garden National Park was an ideal location for this inaugural tree planting as HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as patron of The Bahamas National Trust, officially opened The Retreat in 1985 as the BNTs then-Headquarters. Two Lignum Vitae trees were planted in the park in to honour the jubilee.

Commander Chris Hollingworth said:

It is a pleasure to be in The Bahamas as we prepare for the 2022 hurricane season. We have seen first-hand the impact of extreme weather on vulnerable communities. Planting a tree is an ideal way to support the environment and reduce carbon emissions.

The British High Commissioner said:

2022 will be a busy year of activity, with the Platinum Jubilee of our shared Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II, linking the UK and The Bahamas in celebration. It is great to have HMS Medway visiting and planting a tree to kick us off in January. There will be plenty more Jubilee action to come.

Eric Carey, the BNTs Executive Director, welcomed this activity at The Retreat Garden:

We are fortunate to have this oasis in the city of Nassau. The BNT welcomes partnerships that encourage sustainable environmental activity. Working together, we can have a positive impact to last for generations.

Bahamas National Trust: Leah Carr, Email lcarr@bnt.bs, Telephone (242) 429-7902

British High Commission Nassau: Jerusa Ali, Email jerusa.ali@fcdo.gov.uk

The British High Commission in Nassau maintains and develops relations between the UK and The Bahamas. We work in The Bahamas on a wide range of issues including political, environmental, security and the shared Commonwealth agenda. We also work on furthering the UK as a partner for trade and destination for inward investment and collaborating on global issues.

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The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959 to build and manage the national park system of The Bahamas. Possibly the only non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility, the BNT works daily to conserve and protect the natural resources of The Bahamas through science, stewardship and education for present and future generations. There are currently 32 National Parks managed by the BNT with more than 2 million acres of marine and terrestrial areas protected.

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Jubilee Tree Planting at the Bahamas National Trust's Retreat - GOV.UK