Gap too wide to win top tree
THE most photographed tree in the North East has just fallen short in its bid to land an international honour.
The sycamore growing in a gap in Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, came fifth in the European Tree of the Year competition out of 17 candidates.
It sits in a gap created thousands of years ago by meltwater flowing beneath the ice sheets that once covered the area.
It is also known as the Robin Hood tree following its appearance in a scene in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner.
The Sycamore Gap tree polled 7,123 public votes in the European contest, after being declared England’s Tree of the Year in December in a public voting contest run by the Woodland Trust.
The Euro-winner was Oak Jósef in Poland, with 17,597 votes, followed by the Brimmon Oak, Wales (16,203 votes); the Lime Tree at Lipka, Czech Republic (14,813); Ceron rain tree in France (7,420) and Sycamore Gap tree (7,123).
Woodland Trust spokesman Chris Hickman said: “Sycamore Gap has done really well to come in the top five and people in the North East should be proud of the international recognition it has won.”
The trust has also issued a renewed call for better protection for the UK’s ancient trees and woods.
The charity’s ‘Save our Ancients’ campaign follows Government proposals in the recent housing White Paper to add ancient woodland and aged and veteran trees to the current list of policies governing development in England.
People are asked to support the charity’s call to ensure planning policy is amended to give ancient trees and woods “wholly exceptional recognition” at woodlandtrust.org.uk/ actnow
The UK entries in European Tree of the Year have also all benefited from a care grant funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, which will pay for arboricultural assessments and interpretation material.
The Hadrian’s Wall tree will receive a care grant of £1,000.
Beccy Speight, Woodland Trust chief executive, said: “The UK is rightly renowned for having some of the best examples of ancient trees in Europe, so it’s good to see them finally achieving recognition in the competition.
“There is now an opportunity to secure better protection for them following the publication of the housing White Paper and we need the public to help us make it happen.
“Trees are inspirational in so many ways. They punctuate our lives and landscapes and tie us to our past, the equivalent of our best buildings but yet are far less protected.”
Clara Govier, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We are so pleased that players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been able to support the trees in the competition.
“It has been great to raise awareness of so many special trees and the affection people have for them.”
Sycamore Gap is included within the six miles of Hadrian’s Wall which is under the care of the National Trust.
Andrew Poad, general manager at the National Trust’s Hadrian’s Wall stretch, said: “The tree has become an iconic image for Northumberland and is a wonderful stop-off point for those walking alongside the Wall.”