The Sycamore Gap felling could help rescue British woodland

James Canton spent two years sitting under an 800 -year -old oak tree near his house in Essex, saw acorn fetten and butterflies ground on a gray trunk with large -scale knot. Sometimes he also sat in the branches.

Canton, a lecturer at the University of Essex, recall how it helped them feel the “sense of connection”. “We are happy that we are sitting in an oak tree from ten feet from the ground, watching blue breasts on the caterpillar – that is involved and immersed in that natural world.” He went to write a book about The Oak Papers, spent to study Honeywood Oak about that time.

For years, it was easy to forget that we used to be a Woodland nation: about 6,000 years ago, the untouchable swath of oak, hazel, birch and pine made Britain’s estimated 75% blanket. But in recent months, the Felling of the Cemorer Gap Tree next to the Hadrian wall in Northerlands has returned our relationship with trees and the natural world more widely, under the spotlight.

Two people are being sentenced today for the crime called “uninteresting destruction”. Canton calls it a “symbolic” moment. Felting of the Sekamore gap has motivated calls for strict legal protection for trees, not only to help prevent similar crimes in the future, but also to help the public to appreciate the value of trees at one time when many of our woodlands are in poor health and are not getting targets for trees.

But even though the government had to return the call for more legal safety, other questions remain – that is, which trees should be provided more legal protection? And of course even more pressure: Should Britain think more widely how to save our woodlands – and whether legal safety is sufficient or does a fundamental reconsideration require?

The difference of sycamore was not a particularly ancient tree, nor a native species, but its position gave it a great position. Tuck in one fold of the hills in a region of excellent beauty, the tree was famous all over the world. People went to the picnic, marriage proposal, scattered ash and to search for solitude during lockdown.

Experts at the University of Northumbria say that the “dramatic and photogenic settings of the single tree made it culturally important landmark”, and was often used as a symbol of the surrounding Northerland region. Local people spoke of the feeling of havoc on their loss, while the Northernland National Park Authority received thousands of emails, letters and messages.

And yet, despite being a nation of tree lovers, we live in one of the most intervened countries on earth – while we are still not planting enough trees, despite the call by gradual governments. According to Professor Mary Gagan of the University of Swansi, Europe has a 13% Woodland cover in Europe in Europe in Europe.

According to the data of One Research, we have been putting more woodland in recent decades, the rate of woodland creation is now much higher than in the 2010s, yet they are away from the track. The target set by the previous orthodox government was to plant 30,000 hectares per year in the UK by 2025, in line with the successor of tree planting in the 1970s.

Statistics show that between April 2023 and March 2024, 20,700 hectares of New Woodland was built in Britain, which is a major achievement. However, it fell to 15,700 hectares in the year by March 2025, largely as a result of a drop-off planting in Scotland. The rates increased in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – although from a low base.

And Woodlands that already exist are not in great shape. Professor Gagan says, only 7% of it is in good ecological health.

He is one of those who think that it shakes the head for a “odd relationship” with all trees – “to look and deny the woodlands together”.

Andrew Alan of the Woodland Trust warns that there may be a knock -on effect: “While the money goes into getting new trees in the ground, we already spend little on taking care of trees – and it gives serious consequences.”

Ancient trees offer a house for hundreds of different birds, insects and mammals, yet they have no automatic right to security. It is contrary to some other countries including Italy and Poland, where the so -called “heritage” trees have specific legal protection.

Some UK trees are protected through being in a site of a nature reserve or special scientific interest, while the tree protection order can be made by a local planning authority to deliberately protect specific trees or Woodland from damage or destruction.

Nevertheless, many fall through intervals. Only the fifth part of our “oldest and most importantly experienced tree” is in protected areas, Prof. Gagan says. Veteran trees are trees that act as a habitat for other species through their own decay, promoting biodiversity.

Tree Council Charity has written a report for greater protection for the “most important trees” of the country, such as in the Cyamore Gap. Jess Alan, the manager of science and research projects, Jess Alan, the manager of science and research projects says that the feeling of emotion and anger after the failing of the tree suggests that they are “social, cultural and environmentally important trees.

Behind a Heritage Trees Bill introduced in December 2023 as a private member bill at the House of Lords, charity is calling for the law to make a legal list of the most valuable trees and impose strict punishment to harm them, reflecting the system for listed buildings.

Severe, it can protect trees that are very loved and culturally important due to their place in the landscape, as well as protect ancient trees that are important in preserving nature.

John Stokes, Director of Charity of Trees, Science and Research, states that in Portugal, the maximum fine for destroying a notable tree is € 500,000 (£ 433,000).

He says that protecting our “most famous trees” is a no-brine. “There are trees in this country that are bigger than stone -station – no one will ever think of not protecting the stone station, so why would there be one thing to be bigger than the Stonenage that is bigger than the stone station, does not get some protection?”

They hope that some positive sycamore may come out of the felting of the gap: it is assumed that some UK trees are “really important for our culture and heritage and history – and our biodiversity – we should look better than them at this time”.

The report of the Tree Council is currently being evaluated by the government, but there is no date when a decision will be issued.

There are some who believe that legal reforms are not enough. Even the proposed new measures would not have saved the famous sycamore: Its felting included the trespass on the land owned by Northerland National Park. And a tree preservation order would not have either not made a difference, the whole dode of Tree Law in Wary, says a legal firm that specializes in legal issues related to trees.

“After all, you can keep all the protection desired on trees, but some people are just going to break the laws, you cannot stop some people from doing some careless acts,” she says.

She says that the big question is how we get to appreciate the value of trees and so we do not want to fall. He hopes that giving trees special legal status will increase their profile, and therefore people will have to recognize their importance.

Shri Stokes of the Tree Council says, “If we are to maximize the biodiversity value of our trees, we have got to convince and protect the older people.” They say that we need to build new trees next to our older people, so that the wildlife can flow from these ancient strongholds to new forests and hedges and individual trees, which we are planting “, they say.

A recent report by The Woodland Trust found that the current health of our forests and trees is “related”, and the proposed solutions include more woodland construction, better woodland management, agrophory (combination of agriculture and trees), ancient woodland restoration and natural flood management, which is planted to slow down the water flow.

This will not be easy and Professor Gagan at the University of Swanasi says that saving the Woodlands of the UK is a complex problem that demands difficult choices around the building.

“Unfortunately, if asked for most people if they were asked if they would prefer more new, cheap housing or sharp transport, or to protect nature, they are going to sacrifice a woodland,” she says.

She says that people need to ensure this about the “real value of nature”.

“A single big tree at the right place is providing thousands of pounds of carbon stores, flood protection, free air conditioning, housing, good provision, pollution control and hundred other benefits, and no one is asked to pay those costs if the tree is dropped for growth.

For Canton, the Still visits Honivwood Oak near his home, and is involved in projects to roam around the fate of “forgotten forests”, the areas of ancient Woodland that historically turned into wooden gardens and now need to be restored.

He hopes that from now on, we have learned from the loss of sycamore gap tree and others, and changed our attitude.

He says, “I would really like to think that in a generation time, there will be rights for trees – trees that are over 100 years of age, which you cannot do so, and you get much poor punishment than currently present,” they say.

“Hopefully in time we will reach there gradually – our society is naturally catching with our natural emotional relationship with the natural world.”

Top Image Credit: Which through Daniel Price Getty

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