Living legacies of the Sycamore Gap tree to grow across all 15 National Parks
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Date posted: 24/03/2026
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Time to read: 4 mins
Saplings grown from the iconic Sycamore Gap tree will be planted across all 15 UK National Parks, creating a living legacy that will connect the nation’s most protected landscapes.
Main image: the Sycamore Gap tree before its illegal felling in 2023. Photo: David Taylor / Northumberland National Park
The project, which was announced in 2024, delivered by the National Parks in partnership with the National Trust, will see the new generation of trees grown from the original Sycamore Gap tree planted across England, Wales and Scotland.
The first plantings will take place in Northumberland National Park, the home to the original Sycamore Gap tree, as well as Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, reflecting the shared legacy across all three nations, with other National Parks to follow over the coming months.
Each sapling comes directly from the original tree, ensuring its story continues to grow in landscapes cared for by National Park Authority teams working with local communities, partners, farmers and landowners.
Now, its legacy will continue to grow in every National Park, from rugged mountain landscapes to sweeping moorlands and coastal cliffs, connecting these protected places through a living symbol of national heritage.
This moment also coincides with milestone anniversaries for four National Parks marking 75 years since designation: the Peak District National Park, Lake District National Park, Eryri National Park and Dartmoor National Park.
Together, the plantings highlight the long-term role National Parks play in protecting landscapes, wildlife and cultural heritage for future generations.
Partnership at the heart
Not all of the trees will be planted on National Park-owned land. Instead, they will be cared for through partnerships within the National Park communities who shape and steward these landscapes every day.
For many, the loss of the Sycamore Gap tree felt like a break in the emotional thread that ties people to special places. These new plantings offer a way to rebuild that bond, honouring a landmark that helped people navigate not just the landscape, but their own memories. While the original tree cannot be replaced, these plantings will ensure its legacy continues for generations to come.
A shared legacy across 15 National Parks
For more than 150 years, the Sycamore Gap tree stood beside Hadrian’s Wall, becoming one of the most recognised and photographed trees in the UK.
National Parks are living, working landscapes, and collaboration with farmers, landowners and local communities is central to their future.
Voices from across the nations
Tony Gates, Chief Executive of Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “For 70 years, Northumberland National Park Authority has been connecting people with the special places in our care. The Sycamore Gap tree stood beside Hadrian’s Wall as a powerful reminder of how important that connection to nature and heritage is for people’s wellbeing. It was more than a tree; it was a landmark where memories were made and cherished, and its loss was felt far beyond the North East. Seeing its legacy grow in National Parks across the UK is a reminder that landscapes connect us all, and that even after damage and loss, nature can recover and endure.”
Gordon Watson, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said: “The planting of the Sycamore Gap saplings across our 15 National Parks represents an inspiring symbol of hope. It sends a message that even from the most destructive of actions, nature has the ability to recover and flourish when we properly take care of it. The planting of the sapling at Benmore Gardens in the National Park ensures the public will be able to connect with its powerful story and legacy.”
Jonathan Cawley, Chief Executive of Eryri National Park, said: “As Eryri marks 75 years as a National Park, it feels particularly meaningful to plant a cutting from such an iconic tree. It is a reminder that conservation is always about the future and the landscapes we leave for the next generation. Planting it at Yr Ysgwrn, a culturally important centre, is particularly poignant, as it serves not only as a symbol of reflection but also of renewal and the enduring connection between people and place.
Mike Innerdale, Regional Director for North England at the National Trust said: “These saplings ensure the story of the Sycamore Gap tree continues to inspire people across the country. Working with National Parks to share this legacy means new generations will see its story grow in some of the UK’s most treasured landscapes.”
A legacy that will continue to grow
Planting will take place across all 15 National Parks over the coming months, with each location carefully chosen to ensure the young trees can thrive.
Once established, the trees will stand as living reminders of the power of nature, the importance of stewardship, and the shared responsibility to care for the landscapes that shape the nation.
From one iconic tree to 15, the legacy of the Sycamore Gap tree will now grow across every National Park in the UK.
It’s not every day you get to see one of our National Parks in biscuit form on @britishbakeoff!
Last night, The Great British Bake Off contestant @itsdoctoryan created a beautiful biscuit mosaic inspired by the Broads National Park, perfectly capturing the view at St Benet’s Mill, Thurne.
And it wasn’t just a feast for the eyes as the mosaic was made using treacle and ginger, honey and lemon, cocoa and malted milk, and pistachio biscuits.
Two great things combined: a beautiful National Park view and delicious biscuits. What could be better than that? 💚
Photo: Channel 4
#GBBO #BakeOff #NorfolkBroads @broadsnationalpark
You’ve likely heard of one - but what does it actually do?
Our 15 Parks wouldn’t be able to function without the authorities working behind the scenes to keep them running.
And each authority relies on people. People within the community, volunteers, staff and members. People that run businesses, or partner as organisations. People that are skilled and knowledgeable in a variety of areas from wildlife to accessibility.
Our National Parks are full of people and action, and it’s the Authorities that bring them all together.
💚
#NationalParksUK #NationalParkAuthorities
The Yorkshire Dales has one of the highest concentrations of caves and caverns of any of our 15 National Parks - a whole landscape hiding beneath the ground.
Our National Parks don’t just protect and preserve the landscapes we see every day. They also help care for historic and unique places discovered by our ancestors, like Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill, both of which were shrouded in myth and legend until they were explored by Victorians in the 1800s.
There’s so much more to our National Parks than meets the eye and sometimes, quite literally beneath the surface 👀
#YorkshireDales #GapingGill #Ingleborough
A week on from National Parks UK’s Big Volunteer Weekend, we’re still celebrating the people who make a difference across our National Parks.
Last weekend, hundreds of people came together across all 15 National Parks to give their time, share their skills and support our landscapes.
But volunteering in our National Parks doesn’t happen just one weekend a year. All year round, volunteers play an incredible variety of roles – from leading guided walks and supporting education, to conservation, planting and caring for our landscapes.
Every volunteer makes a valuable contribution to protecting our natural and cultural heritage. We simply couldn’t do what we do without you. 💚
So, to all our volunteers: thank you for your time, energy, enthusiasm and everything you bring to our National Parks.
If you know someone who volunteers in a National Park, help us spread the thanks by sharing this post. 🌿
#Volunteers #NationalParks #NationalParksUK
Mae’r Bele yn un o famaliaid prinnaf Cymru, ond mae eu niferoedd yn tyfu yn raddol. Mae hynny’n newyddion da i’n coetiroedd ac i’r Parciau Cenedlaethol, sy’n darparu rhai o’r cynefinoedd pwysicaf ar gyfer bywyd gwyllt ledled Cymru a Phrydain.
Ym Mannau Brycheiniog, mae’r prosiect adfer wedi gosod blychau nythu yn y coed, ac mae gwaith monitro wedi nodi presenoldeb y Bele, gan gynnwys grwpiau teuluol. Mae’r ffilm arbennig hon yn dangos un ohonynt ar waith. 🐾
Mae’n atgof hyfryd o’r hyn sy’n bosibl pan ddaw coetiroedd iach a gwaith cadwraeth arbenigol at ei gilydd i roi’r gofod sydd ei angen ar rywogaethau prin i wella.
Pine Martens are one of Wales’ rarest mammals, but they’re slowly making a comeback. That’s good news for our woodlands, and for National Parks, which provide some of the most important habitats for wildlife across Wales and Britain.
In Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), the recovery project has installed treetop den boxes, with monitoring identifying pine martens, including family groups. This special footage shows one in action. 🐾
It’s a lovely reminder of what can happen when healthy woodlands and specialist conservation work come together to give rare species the space they need to recover.
#BreconBeacons #BannauBrycheiniog #PineMartins #Wales
It’s the Autumn Equinox 🍂
Our National Parks are always changing in time with the rhythm of nature, but this becomes particularly noticeable when autumn arrives.
Deer begin to rut, spiders’ cobwebs glisten in the fresh light, fungi become more prominent, and leaves begin to change colour.
What changes have you noticed so far? 🧡
#Autumn #AutumnEquinox #NationalParks
“You look after the National Park not for yourself, but for people who are coming, the ones who are following you.”
These are the words of Ron Wood, who has been volunteering for the Lake District National Park for over 60 years. His story reflects the vital role volunteering plays across our National Parks: keeping them thriving, communities invested, and people connected to and caring for our landscapes.
Over the decades, Ron’s incredible journey has seen him remain steadfast in his commitment through droughts, hand, foot and mouth disease, and the ever-changing rhythms of nature. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: his dedication to looking after the environment for those who come after him.
You can read Ron`s full story by clicking the link in our bio or learn more about volunteering at nationalparks.uk/volunteering 🔗
📸Photos by @lakedistrictnpa
#LakeDistrict #Volunteering #NationalParks
A quiet autumn transformation is beginning to take place. 🍁
Bracken gradually fades to burnt oranges. Mist sweeps across the horizon. Grasses brown and trees begin their annual shaking of leaves.
Our National Parks are never still. They are constantly changing and transforming with the seasons - a living rhythm of growth, decay, colour and renewal.
These four photographs perfectly capture our Parks on the cusp of autumn 📸
1. Dartmoor @ryanbrowningphotography
2. Lake District @jonny.gios
3. New Forest @acornsandscapes
4. Northumberland @calbrownphoto
#Autumn #NationalParksUK
