Nature fights back: Thick ring of new shoots have emerged around stump of felled Sycamore Gap tree, National Trust reveals

Published: 00:01 BST, 28 September 2026 | Updated: 00:01 BST, 28 September 2026

Against all odds, the UK’s most famous tree is showing signs of life again.

New photographs reveal a ring of thriving shoots emerging around the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree, which was illegally felled three years ago.

The National Trust said the shoots now stand two to three feet tall and could eventually develop as new trees.

The tree was illegally felled on September 28 2023 by Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers who travelled from their homes in Cumbria to cut down the much-loved sycamore during a storm.

The destruction caused a national outcry and international headlines when the pair were jailed for criminal damage to the tree and the ancient wall.

In a bid to see if the stump would recover, the site at the dip in Hadrian’s wall was fenced off.

Now, the cherished sycamore is showing remarkable powers of regeneration.

New photographs reveal a ring of thriving shoots emerging around the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree

The shoots now stand two to three feet tall and could eventually develop as new trees

In a bid to see if the stump would recover, the site at the dip in Hadrian’s wall was fenced off as protection

Andrew Poad, general manager for the National Trust at Hadrian’s Wall, said: ‘These flourishing shoots are really encouraging and show that the special measures we’ve taken, including reducing soil compaction around the roots and limiting human disturbance, are paying off.

‘We’re grateful to all the visitors who, through the care they are taking, are supporting our efforts to protect the tree and give it the best possible chance to thrive.

‘We’re monitoring the tree closely and, over time, our rangers will manage it depending on how it develops.

‘But for now, we’re filled with hope by the way nature is taking its course.’

Last year, the trust warned that stones, tokens and tributes left by visitors at the tree stump could threaten its potential survival.

The fenced-off stump was already showing signs of regrowth, with the emergence of small shoots.

The National Trust has described the stump as ‘extremely fragile’, and said items placed on or near it could damage its chance of recovery

The cherished sycamore is showing remarkable powers of regeneration after being illegally felled three years ago

The famous Sycamore Gap tree pictured before it was felled on September 28 2023 by Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers

But conservationists were forced to install a protective cage of wire mesh netting to the existing fence to prevent visitors touching the stump and leaving items on the surrounding soil.

The National Trust has described the stump as ‘extremely fragile’, and said items placed on or near it could damage its chance of recovery.

While the original tree can never be replaced, its descendants are already spreading across Britain.

Dozens of saplings grown from seeds salvaged after the felling have been carefully nurtured by National Trust experts and planted in schools, hospitals, community spaces and National Parks.