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Scott Pries Sr. of Omaha carves a police officer into a tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue on Sunday, Sept. 11.
When Bellevue was forced to chop down ash trees due to emerald ash borers — a type of beetle that feeds on them — City Councilman Don Preister wanted to find a way to utilize the remains.
“I thought, 'What a waste of all those ash trees,’” Preister said. “Let’s see if we can find a use for the branches and for even the stump.”
The City of Bellevue was able to donate the branches and leaves to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, but Preister was stumped on what to do with the rest of the tree.
Then Preister was inspired by Frank Kumor, a former Bellevue business owner and school board member who died in 2020. Kumor had had an eagle carved from a tree stump outside his Olde Towne shop, Erwin's Jewelry.
After speaking with the Bellevue Tree Board, Preister moved ahead with the project to beautify tree stumps at Washington Park.
“It seemed like a really nice idea as another enhancement, quality of life amenity, to Bellevue,” Preister said.
The project’s theme is first responders. The first tree, carved last year, features a firefighter. It was created by artist Scott Pries Sr. from Omaha. It includes a real, donated badge on the firefighter’s helmet.
This carving of a firefighter, by Scott Pries Sr., is featured on a tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue.
It took a long time to complete, Pries said, but has received great feedback ever since.
Using a chainsaw and a few other tools, as well as layers of stain, Pries will turn the other side of the tree stump into another work of art: a young girl looking up to -- aspiring to be like -- a female police officer.
Preister said the back-to-back artwork symbolizes how firefighters and police officers have got each other's backs.
The police side will look similar to a statue at the Omaha Police Station, Pries said, which is being used for inspiration.
People are complicated to carve, Pries said, requiring many details. The most challenging part is the face, he said. But, with nearly 10 years of experience, Pries makes it work.
“It’s a little complicated, but I just try to go slow and try not to mess it up,” Pries said.
Scott Pries Senior from Omaha works at a carving into an ash tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue on Sunday, Sept. 11.
Carving is harder than he initially expected when he got his start, working on wood about the size of his palm. He entered the art field by studying a few nearby, experienced carvers. He also joined carving Facebook groups. Mostly though, Pries said he just taught himself.
Pries aims to be finished with this Washington Park project by the end of September -- or, at the very least, before winter hits. But planning around weddings, the Bellevue Farmers Market and other activities held at this “popular” park has made scheduling time to work on it challenging, Preister said.
This isn’t the only stump that will be beautified in the area.
Preister has plans to turn the one near the Bellevue Veterans Memorial into an Air Force personnel and Army medic. Another will feature an Indigenous person.
In the future, Preister said the Tree Board intends to make a map of gardens, parks and tree carvings in Bellevue available to the public.
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A marker describing Bellevue's pioneer history was recently relocated to Washington Park.
Scott Pries Sr. of Omaha carves a police officer into a tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue on Sunday, Sept. 11.
Scott Pries Senior from Omaha works at a carving into an ash tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue on Sunday, Sept. 11.
This carving of a firefighter, by Scott Pries Sr., is featured on a tree stump at Washington Park in Bellevue.
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