The "Hula Hoop Tree" that has become an eastern Iowa destination in recent years is now being targeted for potential removal by the Jones County Board of Supervisors, which cites "liability issues" as justification.

The oak tree near the town of Amber, which suffered from a fire in 2017, is dead and, though the tree has been filled with cement to try and reinforce it, is still potentially unsafe, according to Lloyd Eaken, the board's District 5 representative.

"It needs to be cut down," Eaken told the Register. Eaken is currently at a hospital in Illinois and will not be attending the discussion.

Hula hoops began to appear as early as 2015, according to the Quad-City Times. The origin of the first hula hoops is unclear, with unverified tales citing a storm blowing the first hula hoop onto the tree, a man who threw the hoop up there to celebrate his 40th birthday and another man who claims he threw his wife's hula hoop onto the tree in anger at their imminent divorce.

The tree has gone on to accumulate approximately 200 hula hoops and is referred to as "Her Majesty" by its admirers. The tree has attracted visitors from across the Midwest who stop to get a close-up look and take a selfie.

Boosters have credited the landmark with drawing visitors to the area who would not otherwise venture near a town as small as Amber.

Chris Nadge and Georgia Organ-Sack, administrators of the Amber Iowa Hula Hoop Tree Facebook page, said one of them will attend the Board of Supervisors meeting in an attempt to defend the tree and try to stop it from being cut down.

"Ultimately this was coming sooner or later and would need to happen in order for a motion to be put forth to put up signs," Nadge said in a post on the Facebook page. "I can see it going either way... put up signs... solved, or they could move to try and take it down."

The post calls for the tree's supporters to help them defend the tree at the Board of Supervisor's meeting. In the comments section of the post, supporters from various parts of the country voiced their support.

Bobby Krum, president of the Amber Community Club, has been asked by Representative Jon Zirkelbach and the Board of Supervisors to attend the meeting to help keep the peace and potentially "keep a rowdy crowd calm."

"Signs could be put up, the shoulder could be widened and the parking lot could be moved," Krum told the Register. "We want to work with the board. Nothing's been tried yet."

Krum, however, admitted that if the tree is deemed unsafe and alternatives, like erecting a sculpture or picking a different tree to move the hula hoops too, is what the council decides must be done, he will accept that decision.

"This is about family fun," Krum said.

According to Krum, people packed the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning where liability around the tree was discussed.

It was decided in the meeting that the next step to be taken was for the county engineer to determine which party bears responsibility for the tree — the county or a nearby landowner.

The county's lawyer did assert that a liability risk existed but any discussion of how to address that risk will have to wait until next week's Board of Supervisors meeting after the question of ownership is resolved.

Aaron Calvin covers trending news for the Register. Reach him at acalvin@registermedia.com, 515-556-9097 or on Twitter at @aaronpcalvin.

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