Trees of Hope

The launch of ‘Trees of Hope’

We're delighted to offer the opportunity for people to request one of the Sycamore Gap saplings.

The ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative, where 49 saplings – one to represent each foot of the height that the tree was at the time of felling, will be gifted to communities around the country.

People from around the UK are invited to apply for a tree to plant in publicly accessible spaces, which have emotional connections with people and communities.

In announcing our ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative, we aim to find new homes for the Sycamore Gap saplings in community settings across the UK so that people can engage with the Sycamore Gap Tree and its story.

Our hope is that it will enable more people to feel included in the story of the tree and to become part of its legacy, helping to create a new chapter in the life of this much-loved tree.

Who can apply?

The 49 Sycamore Gap saplings will be awarded to individuals, groups, and organisations and is to be planted in publicly accessible community places across the UK.

Each of these 49 saplings will carry a message of hope and regeneration.

We want to make sure we reach a range of people and places - for full eligibility criteria and an outline of the judging process please read the full Terms and Conditions below.

Terms and Conditions

Timeline

Entries to the competition must be made on the entry form Trees of Hope application formand must be submitted on or before 23:59 on 25 October 2024 (the ‘Closing Date’).

Prize winners will be notified by email on or before 18 November 2024.

Subject to receiving prize winners’ consent, we intend to announce their names during National Tree Week (23 November - 1 December 2024).

We aim to deliver prizes in early spring or late autumn 2025 and at the latest by 30 March 2026.

Prizes

There will be 49 prizes of one sapling each. They are expected to be a minimum of 6ft tall on delivery.

The saplings must not be used for propagation or commercial purposes.

Important notes

The competition is free to enter.

It is your responsibility to check there are no restrictions that would prevent you from planting a Sycamore sapling in your preferred location.

Prize winners may incur costs in collecting prizes from pick-up points.

Full term and conditions apply.

Terms and Conditions

1. The competition is not open to employees of the National Trust, the Northumberland National Park Authority, Historic England or Hadrian's Wall Partnership (together the ‘Sycamore Gap Partnership Board’) or anyone else associated with the competition.
2. All information made available to entrants as part of the process of entering the competition forms part of these terms and conditions.
3. The competition is free to enter. No purchase of any kind is necessary.
4. To be eligible to enter the competition you must be a community or group located in the United Kingdom. Communities or groups do not need to be legal entities. Lead individuals can make applications on behalf of a community.
5. The proposed location of any sapling must not be beyond a pay barrier.
6. The person submitting an entry on behalf of your community group must be 16 years or over.
7. We may require proof that you are eligible to enter the competition.
8. There is a limit of one entry per group. Any entrant that submits multiple entries will be disqualified.
9. You are responsible for checking that there are no restrictions that prohibit you from planting the sapling in the intended location (including necessary permissions from relevant landowners and any statutory designations for or planning restrictions on the land).
10. We recommend you read the Sycamore Information and Advice (see below)
11. We do not guarantee that the saplings will survive, and we will not replace them if they die.
12. Winners will be those who give the best answers to the following questions (each question has equal weight):

• How was the Sycamore Gap tree important to your community group?
• Why would you like to win a sapling?
• How does your entry reflect one of the following themes: hope, community, culture, heritage, nature, wellbeing and celebration?
• What would a sapling mean to your community group?

13. Entries will be judged by a panel of judges that will include representatives of the members of the Sycamore Gap Partnership Board and at least one independent judge (the ‘Panel’).
14. A total of 49 approximately 6 ft high Sycamore saplings grown from seeds of the Sycamore Gap tree are available as prizes.
15. Winners will be notified by email on or before 18 November 2024.
16. We aim to deliver prizes in tree planting season in early Spring or late Autumn 2025 and at the latest by 30 March 2026.
17. We will either publish the surname (or community group name) and county of each of the prize winners or make that information available on request. If you object to your surname or group name and county being published, please contact us at sycamoregap@nationaltrust.org.uk
18. Responsibility cannot be taken for entries that are corrupted, lost, delayed or mislaid.
19. Subject to the consent of prize winners, we would aim to use their name, photograph, and extracts from their entries in publicity on National Trust channels including the website, magazine, and social media.
20. You confirm you do not intend to sell the sapling or use its wood, leaves or seeds for propagation or commercial gain.
21. We will deliver each sapling to a designated pick-up point close to each prize winner but we will not be responsible for any transport or accommodation costs incurred in collecting the prize from the pick-up point.
22. We will provide planting guidance and tree guards for each sapling, but we will not be responsible for the care of or any costs relating to the sapling after delivery.
23. Events may occur that may render the competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond our control and accordingly we may vary or amend the promotion. We will do everything we reasonably can to ensure that entrants receive similar prizes.
24. By entering the competition, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.
25. These terms and conditions are governed by English law, and the parties submit to the non-exclusive authority of the courts of England and Wales.
26. There will be no cash alternative and prizes are non-transferable.
27. Personal data supplied during this competition will be processed as set out in our Privacy Policy.
28. You agree that your personal data may be shared with the Panel.
29. This competition is promoted by The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (Registered Charity Number 205846) of Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA.

How to apply

Please view and complete the 'Trees of Hope' application form: Trees of Hope application form

Please read the Terms and Conditions (above) before applying.

Applications for a ‘Tree of Hope’ will open on 27 September, which will mark one year on since the illegal felling took place (overnight on 27 and into the morning of 28 September).

The National Trust will accept applications until 23:59 on the 25 October 2024.

The 49 successful applicants will be announced during National Tree Week which runs from 23 November - 1 December 2024.

Trees of Hope - Sycamore info and advice

Introducing the Sycamore

Sycamores are large, broadleaved trees. They lose their leaves in winter and grow new ones in spring, so their appearance changes with the seasons. Tough and adaptable, they can grow in poor soils and have good resistance to pollution. They are brilliant for wildlife; caterpillars eat the leaves, Greenfinches and Goldfinches eat the seeds, and the flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees and other beneficial insects. The sturdy branches provide good nesting sites for birds, and bats can live in crevices in the bark.

Mature Sycamore trees have broad canopies so can be planted to provide shade or shelter from the wind for people or livestock. They are not suitable for small gardens but are often seen in large parks and woodlands.

Sycamores have winged seeds; the technical term is ‘samara but they are often known as ‘helicopters They have a flattened blade which makes the seed spin on the way down and allows seeds to travel on the breeze a long way from the parent tree. This helps the new trees find a space to grow with plenty of light and water, without being overshadowed by the large parent tree.

Sycamores appear frequently in folklore and myths across the UK and Europe. Their long lives and distinctive shape mean many old trees become local landmarks and others have great significance, such as the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ tree in Dorset.

The wood is fine-grained and good for carving. It is frequently used for kitchenware such as chopping boards, ladles and spoons because the wood doesn’t interfere with the taste of food. Historically, the timber was used for many small items including violins and as a veneer for furniture.

What does a Sycamore tree need?

• Space
  Sycamores are large trees so the saplings will need plenty of room to grow to their full potential. Best for large, open spaces like fields and parks, or as part of a mixed woodland if given enough room to grow.
  
• Location
  In a sheltered place with lots of space and good soil, a Sycamore will grow into a huge and elegantly shaped tree (like a cartoon tree or head of broccoli). But Sycamores are tough and adaptable – they can survive in harsh, windswept places and do well by the coast and in hilly regions. In these locations they can look very different, with browned leaves, short, twisted branches, sometimes leaning over and bent by the wind. In this form they embody resilience and survival.
  
• Time
  Sycamores can live for over 400 years and are fairly fast-growing at the start. In good conditions they can grow up to one metre a year for the first 20 years. After that, the growth rate slows down and it could take 100 years for the tree to reach its full height. Below is a rough guide to growth, but this is strongly affected by the location of each individual tree and the soil, wind and rainfall it encounters.
  
  10 years = 8 to 10m
  20 years = 20m
  50 years = 25 to 30m
  100 years = 30 to 40m
  
• Soil
  Although they do best in places with good soil structure, good drainage and a moderate level of nutrients, Sycamores are adaptable trees and are able to survive in poor soils, including sandy soils and old quarry sites. In poor soil they will grow more slowly than in good soil.
  
• Water
  While growing in pots, trees will need regular watering during the spring and summer (once a week in cloudy weather, every day when it’s hot and sunny). Potted trees only need watering over winter if the weather is unusually dry.
  
  Once trees are planted in the ground (best done in early spring or autumn) they need to be watered every day for the first week (unless it’s raining) then once a week from April to end September (more often if the weather is very dry).
  
• Protection and staking
  Young trees are likely to require some type of support/staking and possibly protection from deer, livestock, rabbits or other creatures. The type needed will depend on location and local conditions. If the tree is planted in vigorous grassland, a plastic-free mulch mat could also be beneficial.
  
• Where not to plant
  Sycamores don’t make good street trees. They grow too big, and the large leaves can make paths slippy when they fall in the autumn.
  Aphids that live on the leaves make a sticky substance called ‘honeydew’ that falls on surfaces under the tree, so avoid planting near parked cars or seating areas.
  
  Don’t plant close to a building or overhanging a neighbour’s garden as mature trees cast a lot of shade. They also shed thousands of seeds which can be a nuisance.
  
  Sycamore leaves and seeds are poisonous to horses, so be very careful to plant trees well away from areas where horses might graze.
  

If a Sycamore isn’t the right choice for your space, here are some alternatives:

Rowan, also called Mountain Ash – beautiful small trees suitable for domestic gardens and smaller spaces (but no good for pots/containers). Clusters of white flowers followed by colourful berries (white, pink, red, orange or yellow depending on variety). Flowers are good for pollinating insects and berries are good for birds. In Scottish folklore, Rowan is considered protective, and Rowan trees were often planted at the gateway to a house to ward off evil. Good varieties include Sorbus vilmorinii ‘Pink Charm,’ Sorbus ‘Wisley Gold’ and Sorbus aucuparia ‘Aspleniifolia.’

Crab Apple – very useful and attractive trees for smaller spaces. Beautiful pale pink blossom in spring followed by small (sour) ornamental fruits in late summer/autumn. Bees love the flowers and birds love the fruit. Many varieties are available, ‘Butterball,’ ‘Evereste’ and ‘Red Sentinel’ are some of the best.

Hawthorn – a traditional hedgerow plant, Hawthorn is sturdy and long-lived. If allowed to grow into a small tree it has smooth bark and drooping branches. Clusters of white or pink flowers in spring, followed by deep red berries (haws) in late summer/autumn. Birds like blackbirds and thrushes love feeding on the berries. Lots of folklore is attached to Hawthorn. If you want something with showy flowers but no berries, try the variety ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ which has deep pink, double flowers.

Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ – a miniature cherry tree suitable for the smallest gardens. It can also be grown in a large pot, so good for patio gardens, yards and even balconies. It rarely bears fruit, but it has the most beautiful pale pink flowers in early spring and lovely leaf-colour in the autumn. Very hardy, it can even flower in snowy weather!