LJMU green space part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

One of LJMU’s outdoor green spaces has been formally recognised as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Queen’s Green Canopy is an environmental initiative encouraging people across the UK to plant a tree for the jubilee. Our space at John Lennon Art and Design Building has been added to the national list of participating sites.

Our planting took place in the spring of 2020 in collaboration with Mersey Forest and Urban GreenUp, with dozens of new broadleaf, conifer and apple trees creating our new Outdoor Learning Zone.

The space provides a safe outdoor learning environment where our trainee teachers can deliver lessons to schoolchildren in a way that helps them make connections with the world around them and learn more about sustainability.

LJMU delivers outdoor sessions to pupils from schools across the Liverpool City Region and beyond and also engages with local community groups to enable them to use the space.

Pupils from nearby St Nicholas Primary School and Pleasant Street Primary School helped to design a new logo for the space, while we are now working with Myerscough College and TreeMania to monitor the ecology of the area.

Dr Avril Rowley, Senior Lecturer and Natural Curriculum Hub Lead at LJMU’s School of Education, said: “We are delighted to be playing a part in the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative through LJMU’s Outdoor Learning Zone.

“This space is a fantastic environment in which to deliver our Natural Curriculum programme to really enhance the skills and experiences of our trainee teachers. 

“In turn, those sessions have an incredibly positive impact on the school pupils taking part; the children learn more about their natural environment and also boost their wellbeing and resilience by spending that time outside. We're grateful for the support of our friends at Mersey Forest and Urban GreenUp in helping us to establish this wonderful space.

“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a great way of encouraging tree planting across the country and leaving a green legacy to benefit future generations.”

You can find LJMU’s Outdoor Learning Zone and all other jubilee trees on the Queen’s Green Canopy interactive map.