Mind the gap
In late September, vandals felled the Sycamore Gap Tree near Crag Lough in Northumberland, England. Four people were later arrested for the crime.
The 50 ft. sycamore, which had stood in a dip on Hadrian's Wall for more than two centuries, was so striking that it became one of the most photographed trees in the U.K. Walkers trekked halfway along the 80-mile wall just to see the iconic tree. People spread their loved ones' ashes near its trunk; couples became engaged under its branches. The sycamore was also known as the Robin Hood Tree after it appeared in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," starring Kevin Costner.
And then, in the middle of the night, it was cut down. So why am I writing about it in a newsletter focused on good news? Because despite this terrible act of destruction, I remain optimistic. A manager at the National Trust said the tree's stump might just be healthy enough to regrow. Seeds and cuttings were collected …