A new art project will honor the Sycamore Gap tree, which was illegally cut down in fall 2023. The tree was located in England's Northumberland National Park.
The project, called The People’s Tree, is a sound experience that will be set up in different places. It won a contest that asked for ideas about connecting with nature, memory, place, or community. The design was chosen by both the public and a panel of judges.
Honoring a Beloved Tree
The installation will be inspired by how sycamore seeds spread. It will not be just one tribute.
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Start Your News DetoxWhen the world learned the century-old tree was cut down, many people felt the loss. The art project will include people from around the world. The public can share recorded thoughts about what the tree meant to them. These recordings will be saved and shared in exhibitions and workshops. These events will happen north, south, east, and west of Sycamore Gap.
Tony Gates, chief executive of Northumberland National Park, noted that many people felt a personal connection to the tree.
The tree's "voice" will also be part of the project. Artists will scan the tree's rings and turn that information into a soundtrack. These sounds will play from a sculpture built along Hadrian’s Wall. The sculpture will include some preserved wood from the tree.
Hadrian’s Wall is a 73-mile-long part of a Roman Empire fort in Britain.
Cheryl Gavin, director of Helix Arts, the firm behind the design, said being chosen by both the public and judges feels amazing. She believes the tree's legacy lives in its wood and in the connections it created.
The installation is expected to open in September 2027.
A Future for the Sycamore Gap
The People’s Tree is one of several efforts to honor the Sycamore Gap tree. In 2025, a large part of the tree's trunk was shown at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Center. This center is about two miles from where the tree once stood. In November, the first young trees grown from the Sycamore Gap tree were given to community groups.
The announcement of the winning design comes with good news. New shoots are growing from the tree’s stump this spring. The National Trust believes this means a new tree will grow in the Gap one day.
