COMMENT

There’s no such thing as ‘just a tree’ – here are some that make me go ‘wow’

Broadcaster Alastair Campbell has become as well known for his daily picture posts of trees as he is for his political punditry. Here, he reflects on why the Hadrian’s Wall sycamore matters and some of his recent favourite tree ‘spots’

Friday 29 September 2023 14:30 EDT

A tree of the day as captured by Alastair Campbell (Alastair Campbell)

Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. Yes, it is ‘only’ a tree, as one of my Twitter followers commented on my reaction to the felling of the Hadrian’s Wall sycamore. And yes, trees get felled the whole time, so that we can manufacture, build and burn, be warm, be comfortable, and be safe.

So why have so many felt so sick about what happened in Northumberland? It is not merely that so many have seen that tree during the 300 years it has been part of our world, been close to it, and shared its beauty with others. It is that in our sadness we are reminded of how much trees mean to us, why we love them, why we can’t live without them.

For some years now, I have posted a tree of the day on social media. I am not an expert. I don’t really want to be. I just want to keep spotting trees that make me go “Wow”. It happens, many times, every day, wherever in the world I may be. The vast majority of my trees of the day are pictures taken by me, on my phone. Occasionally I post photos sent to me by others. Whenever I do, someone will almost always send me a photo of the Hadrian’s Wall sycamore, suggesting I make it my tree of the day. I already did, a fair while back, when athlete turned commentator and businessman Brendan Foster sent me a picture of it while out on one of his long walks. It is the near-perfect tree in the near-perfect setting.

I still harbour a dream that one day there will be a Tree Olympics where countries choose their favourite tree, and then the world comes together to choose an overall winner. The now-dead sycamore would have been on the podium for sure. But now it has gone. It leaves a scar on that landscape, and a scar in the hearts of the many, many people who have seen it and felt its majesty.

If any good can come of its demise, it is by being a reminder of why trees matter at a time when the prime minister seems hellbent on a kamikaze mission against environmental protection which feels every bit as demented as the mission his predecessor Liz Truss waged on the economy. This saddest of stories tells us why we should cherish them. Protect them. Grow more of them and cut down fewer of them. And, above all, appreciate everything that they contribute to the human spirit and the quality of our lives.