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From Devastation Into Inspiration, The Sycamore Gap Timber

Two years after the illegal felling of Britain’s iconic Sycamore Gap tree shocked the world, the National Trust has launched a major creative commission inviting artists and organizations to give new life to the salvaged timber from one of the country’s most beloved and photographed natural landmarks. Once standing in a dramatic dip along Hadrian’s Wall and symbolizing the North East, the sycamore’s unexpected destruction on September 28, 2023 sparked outrage and reflection worldwide, but now half of the preserved timber will be used for an ambitious project exploring themes of memory, nature, and community. The open call for proposals running from October 13 to November 17, 2025 will see five shortlisted artists receive £5,000 each to develop full proposals, with the winner selected through public voting and announced in February 2026.

National Trust Public Engagement Director Annie Reilly says the commission marks the iconic tree’s legacy while continuing an important conversation about our collective relationship with nature, encouraging proposals that inspire the public to connect with landscapes using the timber as a symbolic focal point. The initiative, supported by Northumberland National Park Authority, Historic England, and the Hadrian’s Wall Partnership, also includes the Trees of Hope program which will plant 49 saplings grown from the original tree across UK communities this winter. The largest remaining timber piece now draws large crowds on permanent display at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, proving that even devastating loss can transform into something that brings people together. What began as tragedy has become a tribute showing that when we lose something special, we can honor its memory by creating new connections between people, art, and the natural world.

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