Three years after vandals cut down one of England's most photographed trees, the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree is showing vigorous new growth. Aerial images released this week reveal a thick ring of basal shoots rising between two and three feet from the remaining stump in Northumberland, according to the National Trust.
The 150-year-old sycamore, which grew in a gap along the Roman-era Hadrian's Wall, was felled illegally in 2023. The chainsaw cut was clean enough that arborists at the time believed the tree might regrow. That hope now appears to be materializing.
Andrew Poad, General Manager for the National Trust at Hadrian's Wall, said the new shoots are a promising sign that the organization's interventions are working. "These flourishing shoots are really encouraging and show that the special measures we've taken—including reducing soil compaction around the roots and limiting human disturbance—are paying off," Poad told the Good News Network.
Poad also expressed gratitude to visitors whose careful behavior is helping protect the tree. "We're grateful to all the visitors who, through the care they're taking, are supporting our efforts to protect the tree and give it the best possible chance to thrive," he told the Good News Network.
The National Trust is not only focused on the stump's recovery. The organization is collaborating with partners and local communities to honor the tree's legacy. As part of that effort, 49 saplings grown from the tree's seeds have been distributed to communities across the UK.
Biologists estimate that, thanks to the tree's deep and established root system, it could take as few as 150 years to return to something resembling its former size. More immediately, hikers may be able to rest beneath its branches within a decade.
The Sycamore Gap tree was a symbol of the North of England and a beloved landmark along Hadrian's Wall. Its illegal felling in 2023 sparked widespread outrage. The regrowth offers a measure of hope that the tree's legacy will continue.