The iconic tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland was intentionally cut down, devastating visitors who held it dear to their hearts. The National Trust team overseeing the site has confirmed that the stump remains healthy, offering a chance for regrowth through coppicing, but it will take up to 200 years before it reaches the majestic form it once had. According to Woodland Trust Estate Manager Mark Feather, while the tree will grow again, it will be nowhere near its original state, and will take years to even become a small tree again.
Local authorities believe the oak tree, which was featured prominently in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’, was purposely toppled. The police are investigating the case. Diana Barkes, the High Sheriff of Northumberland, expressed sadness over locals’ loss of the emblematic feature of the area. She speculated about turning the downed timber into a memorial that people could visit.
Coppicing is a method of cutting trees down to their bases to cultivate new shoots from the stump’s base. The process, an ancient technique from the Stone Age, ensures a steady source of firewood and timber. Though scientists say the possibility of new growth is high, experts agree that a tree of that age could not be replaced within a visible timeframe. Author and environmental expert Prof Robert Macfarlane believes that instead of focusing on the offender, creating greater protection for venerable standard trees would be more productive. He suggested accomplishing this is by forestation, allowing natural growth to take place to construct a Sycamore Gap Forest in commemoration of the fallen tree.
Locals have visited the site in numbers to pay their respects, and there is a prevalent sense of disbelief that such an act could take place to a tree. The tree received a significant amount of attention after being named the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year in 2016, likely fueling emotions over the incident. The National Park Authority and the National Trust had overseen its care; thus, the loss of the tree was especially painful for the locals
Read the full article here: Read More