New shoots are appearing at the base of the Sycamore Gap tree stump.
Jason Locke/National Trust
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Jason Locke/National Trust
Ten months ago, a ranger on Hadrian’s Wall Path discovered a shocking crime: the felling of a much-loved plane tree. Fans mourned the loss of a beautiful landmark; arborists scrambled to protect the remaining branches.
But now it appears the tree is acting on its own.
After discovering the felled sycamore tree in Northumberland, England, “I remember quickly saying it was gone,” ranger Gary Pickles said in a message to NPR. “.
So when Pickles visited the tree on a recent walk, he was delighted to find signs of new life. At the base of the stump are eight small buds with delicate leaves. They’re small — only about an inch and a half — but they could become quite large in the future.
According to the National Trust and Northumberland National Park Service, each sprout “has the potential to become part of the regenerating tree’s new canopy”.
Experts at Britain’s National Trust said the tree was likely to regenerate itself because it was in good health. But they predict the process will take years. So, to ensure it would survive in some form, they worked to germinate the seeds and plant cuttings.
Andrew Poad, general manager of Hadrian’s Wall National Trust, said: “We always hope that nature will find a way to recover and to see signs of life in just ten months is amazing.”
“The goal is to let all eight buds grow for a few years – to see how they develop,” Bode added. “Over time we will be able to decide how to manage this tree – as a stool for the undergrowth, or consider whether to reduce it to a tree at some point in the future.”
For now, the tree’s caretakers will ensure its root zone is protected. The next few months, Bode said, are “crucial” to determine whether the new shoots can successfully grow into a rejuvenated tree.
“I’m surprised and happy that it has a future after all,” Gary Pickles, Hadrian’s Wall Trail National Trail ranger, said of the sycamore.
Jason Locke/National Trust
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Jason Locke/National Trust
As part of a plan to commemorate the first anniversary of the tree being cut down, Pickles noticed the new shoots as he walked to the stump.
As he said, “In my mind I had sent this tree into history, so I was surprised and delighted that it might have a future after all, and that work was being done to make it happen.”
The 200-year-old plane tree’s scenic location beside Hadrian’s Wall makes it a favorite destination for walks and picnics. It’s also featured in countless Instagram photos and at least one Kevin Costner feature film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
A fence protects a sycamore tree stump on the Hadrian’s Wall Trail National Trail, where new growth has recently appeared.
Jason Locke/National Trust
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Jason Locke/National Trust
Last fall, police believed the cutting down of the tree was an act of vandalism, and although a 16-year-old boy was initially arrested, he was released as investigators diverted attention and arrested other suspects. In May, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, both in their 30s, appeared in court to face charges of criminal damage to the tree and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall . Their trial is expected to begin in late 2024.
