Sycamore Gap: 12 months since the North East lost an icon
The National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority have revealed further details of the Sycamore Gap tree’s legacy,
Many trees are losing their leaves around the North East but it's the loss of one of the world's most famous trees we're reporting on today.
It's exactly one year since we broke the news that the Sycamore Gap Tree had been chopped down, it caused anger and uproar.
It had been popular with visitors and tourists, with millions of people travelling to the site and snapping photographs.
The Sycamore Gap tree was also featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner.
Over the coming days many people are expected to visit the stump and, as strange as it may sound, pay their respects to the fallen North East icon.
A year after the illegal felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree which formerly stood proudly in the gap, towering above Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland National Park, the National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority are today (Friday 27 September) revealing more details about the legacy of the tree – and its plans for how hope will prevail in the face of tragedy.
The unprecedented outpouring of emotion after the tree was felled one year ago, overnight on 27 September, sharply brought into focus the importance of everyday nature spectacles to people’s lives. Over the last year, the partnership jointly led by the National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority and Historic England have been working together with other partners to find inspiring ways to ensure the legacy of this iconic tree lives on.
What's happening to mark the one-year anniversary of the Sycamore Gap felling?
Today, the Northumberland National Park Authority unveils the first phase of the Sycamore Gap exhibition at The Sill: National Landscape Recovery Centre in Northumberland, entitled, Sycamore Gap: One Year On.
The exhibition, developed by artist Charlie Whinney and Creative Communities CIC, will see the largest section of the original tree’s wood installed at The Sill in a temporary exhibition that invites people to be part of the artwork.
Sycamore Gap saplings to be given to communities
Also today, the National Trust is announcing the opportunity for people to request one of the Sycamore Gap saplings. Its ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative, where 49 saplings – one to represent each foot of the height that the tree was at the time of felling will be gifted to communities around the country.
People from around the UK are invited to apply for a tree to plant in a publicly accessible spaces, which have emotional connections with people and different communities. For more information and to apply visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/TreesOfHope[2]
A piece of art being commissioned to commemorate the Sycamore
Charlie Whinney of ‘Creative Communities CIC’ art collective is the artist behind the newly commissioned piece of art to remember the tree.
Charlie says: “We are inviting people to make promises to nature which will find their way into the final piece of art.
“This show is the half-way part of our project, processing what happened, what the tree meant to everyone, and the wonderful regrowth which now counts at 25 new shoots. It marks the beginning of our public engagement process.
“Going forward, we hope to empower people with a sense of joy and hope for the natural world through positive actions, which starts now.”
Rob Williamson, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation, says: “A year ago, I asked the National Park how we could help celebrate the Sycamore Gap Tree knowing a number of our donors, especially those giving to our North East Roots fund, would want to support a fitting legacy.
“We are delighted that some of those donors have come to The Sill today to see the fantastic work Charlie has created, made possible by their generosity. They have fully funded this legacy exhibition so visitors now and in the future will be able to celebrate this north east icon.”
Andrew Poad, General Manager for the National Trust’s Hadrian Wall properties says: “The last 12 months have been a real roller coaster of emotions from the hopelessness and grief we felt when we discovered that the tree had been illegally felled, to experiencing the stories shared with us about just what the tree meant to so many.
“One of the first actions that served us so well was the collection of some of the seeds from the tree. These were sent straight away to the Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre in Devon where the team have worked tirelessly to successfully propagate over 100 seedlings and grafted nine other saplings – so we have the trees descendants for the future.”
Andrew continues: “In announcing our ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative today, we aim to find new homes in community settings across the UK so people can have the opportunity to engage with the Sycamore Gap Tree and its legacy 3 so that more people everywhere can feel that they are part of this story – that they are a part of this tree’s wonderful legacy, helping to create a new chapter in the life of this legendary tree.”
Has anyone been charged with the Sycamore Gap Tree felling?
Two men been charged and deny criminal damage.
Daniel Graham is one of two people accused of causing damage estimated at more than £620,000 at Sycamore Gap, in Northumberland, last September.
The 38-year-old, from Carlisle, Cumbria, will face a trial in December alongside fellow Cumbrian man Adam Carruthers, 31, from Wigton.
They have both pleaded not guilty to charges against them.
The trial is expected to last for at least 10 days.
The Sycamore Gap in pictures
The sycamore tree before it was felled
The scene after the tree had been cut down
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