LONDON — A crane on tracks was removing a much-loved tree Thursday from the place near the Roman landmark of Hadrian’s Wall in northeastern England where the sycamore was cut down two weeks ago in an apparent act of vandalism.
The National Trust, which seeks to protect England’s heritage and natural landscapes, said the crane will lift the often-photographed and painted tree, which some believe to have been around 300 years old, from where it lies near the delicate and now-damaged wall.
Andrew Poad, the site’s general manager for the National Trust, said it was necessary to move the tree “both to preserve the world-famous monument that is Hadrian’s Wall, and to make the site safe again for visitors.”
Though the 50-foot (15-meter) tree is too big to move in one piece, experts hope the trunk can be kept in large sections in order to leave future options open on what could be done. The stump, which could generate new shoots, will be kept in place and is currently behind a protective barrier. Seeds have also been collected to see if they could be used to propagate new saplings.
“We’ve explored every option for moving the tree and while it isn’t possible to lift it in one go, as the tree is multi-stemmed with a large crown, we have aimed to keep the trunk in as large sections as possible, to give us flexibility on what the tree becomes in future,” Poad said.
Northumbria Police arrested a 16-year-old boy and a man in his 60s after the tree was felled a fortnight ago. They were released on bail pending further inquiries into what a chief detective described as the “senseless destruction” of the tree.
The tree was one of the main landmarks along Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built nearly 2,000 years ago, when Britain was part of the Roman Empire, to guard its northwestern frontier.
For generations, walkers have paused to admire and photograph the tree at Sycamore Gap, which was made famous when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.”
The tree, which was cut down near the base of its trunk, could grow again, experts said, though they cautioned that it would never be the same.
The National Trust has received thousands of messages about the tree, with advice on what to do with the stump and suggestions of what could be done with the felled tree, including making benches from the wood, a sculpture or souvenirs to sell.
There will be a public consultation about what happens next at the site.
Source: abc news
