‘Loss for the nation’: Is this ancient, felled oak tree London’s Sycamore Gap?
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Mystery of ancient oak tree felling solved
- The owners of a Toby Carvery have admitted the felling of an ancient oak tree in London’s Whitewebbs Wood.
- The oak tree, estimated to be up to 500 years old, is considered to have significant ecological value due to its age, surpassing that of the Sycamore Gap tree which was estimated to be about 200 years old.
- Lawrence-Thor Stephen, CEO of Thor’s Trees, described the April 3 felling as “a loss for the nation”, as ancient trees support thousands of species.
- The tree, officially verified on the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory, sat on land owned by the council and leased to Mitchell & Butlers, the hospitality group that operates the Whitewebbs House Toby Carvery.
- The Independent understands Mitchell & Butchers hired an expert who said that the tree was dead and posed harm to life.