To honour the coronation of King Charles III this year, 2,023 sugar maples have been planted across Canada.
The initiative is the brainchild of Dr. Kevin McCormick, the president and vice-chancellor of Huntington University and the honorary colonel of the Irish Regiment of Canada.
Funded by McCormick himself, the Coronation 2023 Project is “a personal endeavour to plant 2,023 maple trees across Canada to raise national attention for the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and to promote the importance of the Sovereign in Canada’s national identity,” a news release from Huntington University states.
For his part, McCormick said the project honours the historic link between Canada and the British Crown.
“The Crown is a part of our national identity in Canada, and inextricably links us as Canadians with the United Kingdom,” McCormick said in the release. “The coronation of a new monarch is a notable moment in our history as a Commonwealth country, and I wanted to find a meaningful way to commemorate the occasion.”
To effect the planting of 2,023 trees, McCormick said he engaged various community-based organizations across the country to take part. The 2912 Sudbury Irish Cadet Corps also supported the project by involving cadets from all provinces and territories to plant the trees.
“The Coronation 2023 Project will leave a profound legacy across Canada that will continue to honour, celebrate and promote the vital role of the sovereign and royal family in the very fabric of Canada,” said Captain Tracy Lamirande, deputy commanding officer of 2912 Sudbury Irish Cadet Corps, in a news release.