“Just a tree.” That's how the two found guilty of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap Tree, explaining their reaction to their actions. The gap at Sycamore, myself included, is more than just a “tree.” It is a proud symbol of northeastern England and a living monument woven into the landscape and memories of generations.
The British have a fundamental longing for their community and a love of nature. Nature is part of us. It is part of our identity as a proud British person. Think about the power of Beatrix Potter, Wordsworth, and Kenneth Graham's work, and the work of ir David Attenborough. Many of our precious literature and cultures celebrate our beautiful landscapes, natural heritage and wildlife.
With the exception of more specific benefits, how much we rely on nature for welfare was brought back to us during the Covid lockdown.
But we are now at a crossroads not only for our natural environment, but for our entire country. In Britain alone, nearly one in six species is extinct and is threatened. But we often think about the beauty of nature, and the truth is that it is our life support system.
Our lands, wetlands and seas store carbon, keep water down, pollinate crops, host a rich net of plants and animals that we cherish. However, some of these natural treasures are so degraded that it exacerbates the effects of warming planets, amplifies floods, droughts, pollution, and makes people miserable when they can provide a place where they can be happy and healthy.
My plea is that the catastrophic cutting of this iconic tree is a turning point and could be the beginning of a national conversation about how we place nature on the path to restoration.
