OkoboTree Gives New Life To Expired Trees

For anyone driving towards Terrace Beach in West Okoboji, a special sculpture will captivate your attention when rounding the corner. Earlier this summer, a large maple tree regally stood, one that Lance and Jill Freed laughingly called their squirrel tree. But through the expertise of wood sculpturer Nate Hall, the expired tree was transformed into the depiction of the 25-year veteran of the Queen II, Captain Lance.

“We really enjoyed watching Nate Hall sculpt the tree, which we called our squirrel hotel. There were so many holes in it, and when the big branches came down, water and nuts came flowing out,” said Lance Freed, one of three captains on the Queen II. “Nate did an excellent job and the sculpture is a great addition to this community, especially with where we are located.”

The new “Captain Lance” sculpture is one of 19 tree sculptures currently located within the Iowa Great Lakes, with many more planned for the future. OkoboTree is a project through Spirit of Okoboji created to extend the longevity and beauty of trees in the area through visual art and preservation.

“We love the fact that you’re taking an expired tree and giving it new life and making it beautiful again,” said OkoboTree Creative Director Carrie Meyer. “There’s something magical about these trees and we love we are able to repurpose them and still see its beauty.”

OkoboTree began in June 2022, with the commissioning of an Iowa-based visual artist to create sculptures from expired trees in the area. The nonprofit organization received a Mountain Dew Outdoor Grant for $5,000 to begin the process and completed their first projects in a cottonwood tree in Isthmus Park and then along th Spine Trail on the east side of Big Spirit.

Since then, new sculptures have been added, with eight being completed in 2025. There are several more already planned for 2026.

“The goal of OkoboTree is to continue to identify expired trees and commission artists to create works of art with those selected trees for the public to enjoy,” said OkoboTree Board Chair Kathy Fahy. “While some of the sculptures are on private property, all but one are publicly visible for viewers to find.”

Selecting Trees

When an expired tree needs to come down, the OkoboTree initiative suggests cutting off the branches and leaving the trunk portion at nine feet, rather than completely tearing it down. This allows the trees to remain rooted in place, continuing a presence in the landscape while providing its owners new meaning.

“This approach to tree preservation represents a full-circle understanding of nature’s cycles—growth, maturity, decline, and transformation,” Carrie shared.

The OkoboTree Board includes Arborist Craig Wilson, who will often check out a suggested tree prior to the artist’s arrival and make sure the tree isn’t hollow.

“For instance, we discovered the cottonwood at Isthmus Park was soft, so the artist ‘set’ the owls into the tree so it would last a lot longer,” Kathy said. “A tree’s transformation process is as much about honoring what was, as creating what will be.”

When a tree is given the go-ahead, Carrie works with the owner to learn the story behind the tree. She loves seeing the tree in its natural habitat and hearing what the owner wants the sculpture to become. This information is then shared with the artists, three of which have been contracted for the sculptures so far: Nate Hall of 3 Timbers Studio, Clint Henik of Carve R Way, and Gary Keenan of Carving by Kennan.

For instance, for Captain Lance’s carving, Nate received a photo of the tree and a direction of how the sculpture should be created. He then determined the best way to make this depiction of Captain Lance take place, with the structure and shape that was available.

For several days, Nate worked on the sculpture, first sketching the general shape of the design on the de-barked stump. As he carved, like many trees, there were a few unexpected voids and surprises in the middle of the stump.

“There were a few voids and surprises in the middle but it was a fairly straightforward carve, and it turned out how we’d envisioned,” he shared. “Captain Lance honors the Okoboji maritime heritage while giving new life to a maple tree that has stood witness to decades of local history.”

Carrie loves how the tree pays tribute to the skilled Captain Lance, a man who has guided the Queen II across Lake Okoboji for the past 25 years. “Just as the tree stood tall, Captain Lance is a steadfast presence on our waters, navigating over 4,800 trips around the Lake with passengers safely,” she said. “The Queen II is more than just a boat, it is a beloved symbol of Okoboji’s golden era of lake recreation, and its Captain embodies the spirit of our waterway heritage.”

Many of the sculptures honor notable figures from local history, memorializing their legacy through these living monuments. Another new sculpture completed this year is a bust of Abbie Gardner Sharp at the Abbie Gardner cabin; surrounding her are three doves that represent her three children. At the Spencer Municipal Golf Course, there’s a sculpture created of a black cat climbing a tree in honor of their cady cat. A guitar was added near the Rock ‘N Roll Museum and Pirate Jack has been restored.

“Carving pieces that represent someone or tell a story are my favorite pieces to create. They have more sentimental value and meaning to the owner, as well as have a stronger value as a new life for the tree,” Nate said. “The OkoboTree project is an outstanding effort to create meaningful, aesthetically pleasing artwork around the community, while utilizing the canvases that were placed by nature. Upon completion, the sum of these works will be a lasting testament to the history of family and friendship embodied by the Iowa Great Lakes area.”

For those interested in applying for a tree sculpture via the OkoboTree, visit okobotree.org and fill out the application and a board member will then be in contact. For anyone interested in donating to the nonprofit or interested in sponsoring a tree, visit okobotree.org/contact.

OkoboTree’s goal is to transform at least 54 expired trees into beautiful sculptures for the community, which would be the world record for wood sculptures in a community.

“We love the connections between our past and present and how the sculptures are a creative way to preserve both natural and cultural heritage,” Kathy shared. “It’s so fun to see the ideas of what these trees turn into. Then we will continue to dream big together as a community!”