Elgin man starts creating 'living, breathing sculpture of trees' in Wing Park

It was a pretty convincing pitch Robert VanderMolen made to the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department.

"In five years, people will wonder what is its purpose. In 10 years, people will find it interesting. In 20 years, people will be saying: 'You have to see this!'"

VanderMolen was presenting what he called the "Overstory Project," a circular array of catalpa trees that would eventually grow to form a cozy, secluded space in the center for gatherings like picnics, yoga, meditation or just reading a book.

"My idea was to have a living, breathing sculpture in this grove of trees," he said.

The city approved the plan May 25 and VanderMolen led a group of volunteers in planting 37 saplings June 12 in a remote area on the west side of Wing Park.

VanderMolen came up with the idea at the same time he was reading "The Overstory: A Novel," which won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The book is about five trees whose unique life experiences with nine disparate Americans bring them together to address the destruction of forests.

"I'm a tree guy from way back, and I just loved the book," he said.

While "Overstory Project" isn't related to anything directly in the book, "it offered a tangential inspiration for me," VanderMolen said.

"The idea synthesized during the time I was reading the book and while I was walking my dog," he said.

"I saw the catalpas in my neighborhood that were planted as parkway trees 70 years ago and were now giant gothic living architecture. I just thought that if there was a grove of them, it could be really special."

While the book had cedars and redwoods, VanderMolen chose catalpas, which are native to southern Illinois.

"They're happy here," he said. "In the spring, they're blanketed with white flowers. In the summer, they get these giant leaves, and in the winter they have this wonderful Gothic look to them."

VanderMolen took the idea to several city government departments, and the cultural arts and sustainability commissions. Everyone was interested, but logistically, he needed a department that could supply some land. He found a taker at parks and rec, where officials gave him "enthusiastic" approval.

"It is always nice when a community member has a vision and a desire to bring a project, and the resources, to us," said Elgin Parks and Recreation Director Maria Cumpata. "What better way to get buy-in from the community than to have a community member lead the project."

VanderMolen had scouted a piece of land in Wing Park that's off the beaten trail, in a clearing just south of the pool, down a lesser-used path.

"It's a perfect location because the project's not going to look like much for 10 years," he said.

He and about a half dozen volunteers planted the saplings, which are about 5 feet tall. VanderMolen bought most of the saplings himself in March from a nursery for about $17 each, and the city supplied the rest.

"I was convinced somebody was going to go for this idea," he said.

VanderMolen said he's worried about the effect the drought could have on the saplings but has been assured by the city that crews will water them.

"If they don't, I'll have to be out there with buckets," he said.

The 64-year-old said he's in pretty good shape and hopes to be around another 20 to 30 years to see his vision come to fruition.

"But if I don't, that's OK, too," VanderMolen said. "I know I enjoy lots of things that other people have done before me."

"I'm appreciative and grateful for people's vision and work every day."