Woodland Trust nears tree protection milestone as Living Legends petition gathers pace
Senior PR officer
A petition calling for stronger laws to protect important trees like the Sycamore Gap is tantalisingly close to its 100,000 target, says the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.
A year after the Sycamore Gap tree's devastating overnight felling at its famous Hadrian's Wall location, a rallying cry for people to back the Woodland Trust's Living Legends campaign – demanding legal protection for the UK's oldest and most special trees – has been issued.
More than 95,000 people have already pledged their support, and Trust head of campaigning Adam Cormack says passing the 100,000 mark is a "significant milestone" at a time when tree protection laws in England are under review and a new Tree Protection Bill for Northern Ireland will be out for consultation later this year.
After the petition has reached 100,000 signatures, the Woodland Trust will be presenting it to governments around the UK, as a demonstration of public support for better protection for old and special trees.
"It's easy to think our oldest and most treasured trees are going to be around forever, but as the case of the Sycamore Gap tree shows, too many are vulnerable and face threats," Cormack said.
"The response to the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree on National Trust land showed us that this was an iconic tree for many, many people. In the UK the most basic form of tree protection is an understanding that you don’t just cut a tree for no good reason.
"That contract we all have with trees was broken on 28 September 2023 at Hadrian's Wall. Introducing a new law to protect our most special trees is a big step to rebuilding this.
"Legislation like this already exists in a number of other European countries, like Poland, Italy, and Romania, and there's a similar scheme in Germany for heritage trees.
"Reaching 100,000 signatures adds real weight to our cause and shows the strength of feeling people have for this irreplaceable natural heritage."
A poll run by the Woodland Trust showed that 83% of people agreed or strongly agreed that there should be legal protection for the UK's oldest and most special trees, a figure which rose to 88% after the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
The UK's ancient, veteran and notable trees are living pieces of history and part of our heritage. They are scattered across fields, parks, roadsides, village greens and churchyards, and they’ve formed the backdrop to our landscapes and lives for generations.
Our 'Living Legends' are also vital havens for wildlife and important carbon stores, bringing health and wellbeing benefits for people and nature alike. But our oldest and most valuable trees are also vulnerable.
Actor David Oakes, an ambassador for the Woodland Trust, echoed the plea for support to hit the 100,000-signature target to protect these thriving and biodiverse natural havens.
"Ancient and veteran trees aren't simply trees. The longer a tree stays in the ground, the more relationships it has with the life surrounding it.
"The younger trees have a small village – a hamlet of life there. But the ones that have been in the ground for hundreds, if not thousands of years, have got cities, megacities, metropolises of life there and we have to keep them.
"We have nothing in place to protect these trees, these whole habitats, ecosystems, miniature cities that grow up everywhere.
"The Woodland Trust's Living Legends petition is online and waiting to be signed right now. Tens of thousands of people have already signed it. This is the point where suddenly the hopes and dreams of tireless campaigning will become something ironclad, something that will keep our national and natural heritage where it should be. In the ground."
Reaching 100,000 signatures for the Living Legends campaign is a critical milestone in the fight to secure legal protection for the UK's oldest and most special trees.
Meanwhile the National Trust has announced that people can request one of the Sycamore Gap saplings. The 'Trees of Hope' initiative will see 49 saplings – one to represent each foot of the tree’s height when it was felled – gifted to communities around the country.
Notes To Editors
For more information please contact Owen Phillips on 07958066766 or at owenphillips@woodlandtrust.org.uk, or contact the Woodland Trust press office on 01476602993.
About the Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters.
With a vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, today the Trust owns and cares for more than 1,000 woodland sites, covering around 33,000 hectares.
The Woodland Trust has three key aims:
- protecting the UK's rare, unique and irreplaceable ancient woodland
- restoring damaged ancient woodland, nurturing precious pieces of our natural heritage back to life
- establishing new native trees and woods to create healthy, resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.
Access to all Woodland Trust woods is free so everyone can experience the physical and mental benefits of trees.