Sycamore Gap - tree has been felled!

[NepheliLoux]

Looks like someone has deliberately felled the famous tree in Sycamore Gap. I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing. I don’t normally get emotional but this has really upset me. It’s absolutely irreplaceable.

Trees keep you alive.

So unless you don’t breathe, they’re pretty meaningful in your life.

Absolutely no one legitimate with any knowledge whatsoever would cut that tree down without a marching band proclaiming it was the correct thing to do. It’s like someone accidentally filling in the Grand Canyon after mistaking it for another big hole. Wouldn’t happen.

Some people get a sense of pleasure from destruction. They can't achieve anything positive in life so the only way they can leave some kind of impact is to destroy. Scum.

I know but I hate the idea more of it being mindless destruction

Yep. People are cunts.

We live locally and this is really sad news. It was such an iconic landmark.

Ironically I've just started reading the LJ Ross book Sycamore Gap.

Surely if it was an admin error then it would have been done during work hours and not overnight, and I’d have thought a professional tree surgeon would be aware of the significance of the tree and would’ve questioned why it was being felled.

It's very sad 😥

But if it's any comfort to anyone i've found this info:
Sycamores are very fast growing, putting on up to 25 inches of growth per year. Seedlings can reach up to 10 feet tall in just one year. In 6 – 7 years, the tree starts to flower, however, they do not begin producing seeds until around 25 years of age.

I think some decent cuttings should be taken before the tree dies completely and once they are grown on the strongest should be planted in it's parents place.

It's theft and should be prosecuted as such, imo.

We are constantly having our wildlife, countryside and cultural history stolen from us by the kind of tossers who think they can burn down old pubs, chop down mature (and iconic) trees, poison birds of prey, block off rights of way and more. They are all over the country doing it all the bloody time and I am so sick of it.

Absolutely heart broken at this news. My fiancée proposed to me at this spot a little under a year ago.

Just devastating

Almost certainly?

The tree isn't going to die completely, it's been coppiced. In terms of survivorship it would be far better to let the stump (with its well developed root network) resprout.

Stupid question alert:

Is there no chance of it growing back? I understand that it will hundreds of years to fully mature if it does.

I have an errant tree growing in my garden that I keep chopping down and the bastard thing keeps coming back.

I hope they catch whoever did it. I cannot fathom why anyone would do this.

To those disputing the poster who said i hate men sometimes, the likelihood of it being a woman is rather small based on historical offending patterns…

I know but I'm trying to remain hopeful

It won Tree of the Year in 2016.

I am heartbroken by this news. I feel genuinely angry. It was a magical tree.

Trees are highly meaningful to me - I love them and enjoy their beauty. This has really upset me. 😞

It will yes, but it will sadly not be the same tree. That one was 400 years old, a medieval specimen with the characteristics to go with it. Also. Ancient trees have benefits to the environment that new trees do not, so all of this is lost. But yes it will grow again and I imagine something will come from this beneficially, not sure what yet though.

What sort of hateful bastard would do such a thing. Hope they go to jail tbf.

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/23/tree-felling-punishable-jail-term-uncapped-fines

“From 1 January 2023, even trees without TPOs could land illegal fellers with an unlimited fine, if chopped down without a licence outside of qualifying exemptions.”

Been a long time since you did biology at school, eh?

Professional tree surgeons don’t work at night and would remove the tree.

Are there any indications as to why?

Any local gossip, disputes, controversy?

Seems such a strange thing to do - when I read that a special tree had been felled and before reading the details I assumed it was some sort of planning dispute or neighbour thing.

Good, hope they get a fine and go to prison.

There are some people who just hate trees. There was someone who went down the Thames towpath chopping down trees.