News follows extraordinary response to its felling
Conservationists say seeds from the felled Sycamore Gap tree are beginning to ‘spring into life.’ The act of vandalism took place in September. The news made international headlines.
Recent photographs show a collection of buds growing at the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre. Staff have been carefully looking after the small seedlings for the past five months.
The iconic sycamore tree had stood in a dip in Hadrian’s Wall, in Northumberland National Park, for around 200 years, before it was felled.
In December, staff revealed that the material was showing ‘signs of life’ but that the timing of the event, when the tree was still in the growth stage of its annual cycle, was less than ideal for propagating.
Since the felling, experts have used a range of techniques to cultivate the material. These have included ‘budding’ which is where a single bud from the original tree is attached to a rootstock of the same species.
The team also used ‘whip and tongue’ together with ‘apical wedge’ grafting which is where a cutting from the tree and a rootstock are joined together by corresponding cuts in the material.
These processes are designed to create genetically identical replicas of the original Sycamore Gap tree. The seeds meanwhile have been grown on in a special peat-free compost mix, having first been washed and checked for any disease, with several dozen now sprouting.
Techniques ‘delivered with remarkable care and precision’
‘These techniques, delivered with a remarkable degree of care and precision by our conservationists, are providing a legacy for this much-loved tree,’ explains Andrew Jasper, Director of Gardens and Parklands at the National Trust.
‘And while there’s a way to go before we have true saplings, we’ll be keeping everything crossed that these plants continue to grow stronger and can be planted out and enjoyed by many in the future.’
‘As well as being a fundamental part of our ecosystems, trees are an intrinsic part of our cultural heritage – a form of living history.’
‘Our Plant Conservation Centre cares for some of the rarest, and most historically and culturally significant trees, from descendants of the apple tree that inspired Isaac Newton’s theories, to cuttings from the Ankerwycke Yew.’
The Ankerwycke Yew has stood at Runnymede for centuries and it’s believed it would have been witness to the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.
‘The response to the Sycamore Gap tree’s felling has been extraordinary, and we hope that by continuing to share its story, we can raise awareness of the cultural and natural significance of these majestic trees that we’re so lucky to have in the UK.’
The National Trust, working together with Northumberland National Park, Historic England and the Hadrian’s Wall Partnership, said its plans for the plants were still developing.
‘Beacons of hope’
‘Along with other National Park officers, I was at Sycamore Gap in the immediate hours following the felling of the tree, managing the unfolding story as it happened and responding to the media,’ recalls Tony Gates, Chief Executive Officer, Northumberland National Park Authority.
‘Whilst all of that was taking place, a team from the National Trust arrived to collect seed and other material from the tree.’
‘The seed did not appear to be mature enough and the chances of success appeared slim, but the idea of a direct link from the tree, at the time of it being felled, was a powerful one.’
‘How great it is that experts have been able to bring us this direct connection and refreshed hope.’
‘I look forward to working with the National Trust as we see how these beacons can send hope far beyond Northumberland. I would like to thank the team who have made this happen.’
The organisations are planning a range of responses to the tree’s felling later this year, which will include work with local schools, tree planting initiatives in Northumberland, and artistic interpretations.
It’s expected more details will be shared in the coming months following more than 2000 ideas and tributes which were received from the public since autumn. Wood from the tree has been carefully treated and is being stored under advice from experts.