Sapling planted at Sycamore Gap to "restore hope" removed by National Trust
UK resident Kieran Chapman, 27, is "absolutely gutted" after the sapling he planted in memory of the felled Sycamore Gap tree was heartbreakingly removed by National Trust.
The 27-year-old spent hours on Friday planting the sapling just metres away from the stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, but his efforts were in vain, as the sapling had been dug up by the National Trust on Sunday morning.
The conservation charity said that they had to remove the sapling because it is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A National Trust spokesperson told the Newcastle Chronicle that while they understand “the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap” the site “is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with UNESCO world heritage designation”.
“Altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology, and is unlawful without prior consent from government.”
But Chapman couldn't hide his disappointment: “It’s just devastating, isn’t it? It genuinely brought people a lot of joy and that’s been taken away," he told the publication.
“I honestly thought if it got a good response they might end up keeping it.”
Chapman planted the sapling because he wanted to “restore people’s faith in humanity, bring a smile back to people’s faces and just give them a bit of hope”.
“I planned to go and take the dog for a walk next weekend there," he added.
In a follow up post on Facebook, Chapman added that he was told by the National Trust that his tree will be replanted on another piece of land at the Housesteads Visitor Centre on Hadrian’s Wall.
“Too many politics around all this for my liking, the top and bottom of it, it’s a tree, planted in soil. I understand the land is protected, but to protect a tree from being planted in the earth, where they’re designed to be, no matter where it’s location, is crazy,” he wrote.
Two people were arrested over the incident, a 16-year-old boy and 69-year-old former lumberjack.
Both have been released on bail, with the lumberjack insisting that he had no involvement in the felling.
“You’ve got the wrong feller,” he told The Sun.
“I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger.
“My brother came down to make sure I hadn’t been arrested as he had heard a rumour that I had cut it down. I didn’t do it," he added.
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