Saplings from the felled Sycamore Gap tree are to be planted across the UK, including at a pit disaster site, a town still healing from the Troubles and a place which became an international symbol of peace, protest and feminism.<\/p>\n
The National Trust said planting of 49 saplings, known as \u201ctrees of hope<\/a>\u201d, would begin on Saturday. It is hoped that the sycamore will live on in a positive, inspirational way.<\/p>\n The Sycamore Gap tree, on Hadrian\u2019s Wall in Northumberland, was one of the UK\u2019s best-known and most loved trees. When it was criminally cut down for no apparent reason on a stormy night in September 2023<\/a> there was widespread anger.<\/p>\n Hilary McGrady, director general of the National Trust, said it was \u201cthe quick thinking of our conservationists in the aftermath of the felling that has allowed the Sycamore Gap to live on\u201d.<\/p>\n Looping video of tree nursery<\/a><\/p>\n Seeds from the tree were collected and have become 49 saplings, one to represent each foot in height of the tree, which was probably planted in the late 19th century.<\/p>\n Nearly 500 applications were received for one of the saplings, which are now between four and six feet tall.<\/p>\n The Trust said the first five saplings would be planted on Saturday, followed by many more in the days after, during National Tree Week<\/a>. All will be in publicly accessible spaces.<\/p>\n One of the saplings will be planted next to a military control tower at Greenham Common in Berkshire.<\/p>\n As a base for US cruise missiles, in the 1980s the common became the site of women\u2019s peace camps, which had a dramatic effect on public awareness of the dangers of storing the weapons there. At its height, more than 70,000 women were there<\/a> and it became the biggest female-led protest since women\u2019s suffrage<\/a>.<\/p>\n A National Trust employee tends to a sapling from the tree. Photograph: James Dobson\/National Trust Images<\/p>\n Today the tower is used as a community centre and museum. Helen Beard, of the Greener Greenham Common Group<\/a>, called the sapling \u201ca powerful way to spread a message hope \u2013 for nature, our environment and for peace\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be seen by the many visitors using the control tower and we think they will be quite moved by it,\u201d Beard said.<\/p>\n Another sapling is being planted on Saturday in Strabane in County Tyrone. On the border to the Republic of Ireland, Strabane suffered heavily during the Troubles but is today a place with a vibrant arts and music scene where much has been done to foster a sense of resilience and hope.<\/p>\n The tree is being planted as a symbol of the town\u2019s \u201ccollective journey towards healing\u201d and a tribute to John Gallagher, a beloved member of the Strabane community who died last year from motor neurone disease.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what\u2019s happening and why it matters<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com<\/a> to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Three other plantings will take place on Saturday: at a site commemorating the Minnie Pit mining disaster in Staffordshire<\/a>, at the Tree Sanctuary in Coventry where three teenage friends helped set up a project to rescue their city\u2019s trees<\/a>, and at Coton Orchard in Cambridgeshire for a grassroots project called Coton Loves Pollinators<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Coton tree will be planted by Sir Partha Dasgupta<\/a>, a professor of economics at the University of Cambridge, who is considered one of the world\u2019s leading thinkers<\/a> on nature\u2019s value to people and place.<\/p>\n Trees of hope saplings at the National Trust\u2019s plant conservation centre, waiting to be transported and planted. Photograph: James Dobson\/National Trust Images\/James Do<\/p>\n