Launde's ancient woods to be part of Platinum Jubilee canopy

The wildlife trust said it hoped the heritage and environmental value of the woods would be highlighted

Ancient woods in Leicestershire will be dedicated to the Queen as part of the Platinum Jubilee.

Launde Park Wood and Launde Big Wood at Launde Abbey are part of a nationwide network of 70 Ancient Woodlands.

Organisers said the woodlands represented the diverse canopy of the UK's four nations and were a celebration of our living heritage.

The local wildlife trust said it hoped the move would highlight the heritage and environmental value of the woods.

The woods are some of the most ancient in the county

The Queen's Green Canopy initiative announced the network of 70 Ancient Woodlands and 70 Ancient Trees across the United Kingdom which will form part of the Ancient Canopy.

Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, which works in partnership with the woodland's owners, Launde Abbey charitable trust, said it was delighted they were part of the project.

They said the two areas were some of the most ancient in the county, with oak, ash, hazel and field maple dominating Big Wood to the west, while Park Wood to the east was once a Forestry Commission plantation.

Head of Conservation at the wildlife trust, John Clarkson, said: "The Launde Woods are both amazing places for wildlife with a fascinating cultural history.

"Right now, they are woodlands with magnificent trees, and woodland wildflowers that provide a safe haven for many wildlife species, including bats.

"We call them ancient semi-natural woodlands, to reflect and acknowledge their long cultural and ecological importance."