Wood from the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, illegally felled in 2023, has been preserved to create a 'living archive' in its memory. A multimedia arts project, chosen by public vote, will transform the timber into an interactive memorial.
Winning Proposal: 'The People's Tree'
Helix Arts, a community arts charity, and George King Architects won the National Trust commission on Saturday. Their joint proposal, 'The People's Tree', will celebrate the beloved sycamore through participatory storytelling, sound, and sculpture. The commission was announced in September 2025, two years after the tree's illegal felling beside Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland sparked widespread grief.
George King stated: 'The tree as it was can never be replaced. But what we can do is create a place for reflection and connections.' The winning project received the highest combined score from a public vote and judges, who praised its national resonance and local sensitivity.
Interactive Strands and Community Engagement
Rather than a single static memorial, the project features several interactive elements. One strand invites people from Northumberland and across the UK to share reflections on their relationships with trees and nature. These recordings will form a national sound archive capturing memory, grief, and connection inspired by the loss.
Cheryl Gavin, director of Helix Arts, explained: 'We thought there was loads of potential for getting communities involved in this sense of hope. When tragedy strikes, you often lean into resilience, and a participatory arts programme felt like the right response.' The team will work with diverse communities along Hadrian's Wall and beyond, including those with limited access to nature.
Artistic Use of Preserved Wood
Parts of the preserved tree will be crafted into 'seed pods' to store digital recordings of spoken contributions. Other sections will be used to create a soundscape by translating growth rings into audio format. Additional wood will be co-created into artworks with communities and local artists, leading to exhibitions and workshops across the UK. A website will enable international participation.
A combined sound sculpture and time capsule near Sycamore Gap will protect a large section of the felled tree, with an audio archive for visitors. The exact location will be chosen with local consultation. Gavin noted: 'Artwork polarises people, doesn't it? There are lots of tastes and preferences, so we're trying to demonstrate a complex idea.'
Timeline and Legacy
Public engagement is expected to begin in summer 2025, with completion planned for autumn 2027. The commission forms part of a wider legacy programme, including planting 49 'trees of hope' saplings across the UK. The National Trust confirmed that shoots have been observed growing from the Sycamore Gap stump for a third consecutive year.
Annie Reilly, public engagement director at the National Trust and chair of the judging panel, said: 'What stood out about this proposal was how it puts a real conversation between people and the tree at its heart. It doesn't try to give one answer to loss. Instead, it invites people to listen, reflect and reconnect — with nature and with each other.'
