Green Burials: Conservation Burials and Memorial Forests

Considering cremation? Instead of a tombstone, you could choose a memorial tree in a forest that helps protect and restore forestland.

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By:

Hanne Keiling

When it comes to deciding on a final resting place either for yourself or someone else, you might be reflecting on how to make a choice that represents the person’s life and values. If you shared a connection with nature in some way, or made decisions in life to care for the environment, you might consider a nontraditional, green burial option. 

As opposed to traditional burials that often use toxic chemicals, large tracts of land, and nonbiodegradable resources, green burials are a sustainable alternative. There are several types of green cemeteries around the world:

  • Hybrid burial grounds are cemeteries with plots for both ecological and conventional burials, meaning that certain parcels of land are set aside to use only biodegradable products.
  • Natural burial grounds take sustainability a step further by restricting the land to allow only green or other environmentally friendly burials. 
  • Conservation burial grounds seek to improve and preserve land while also offering burial spaces. These burial grounds are protected by a conservation land trust entity and uphold strict land management rules.  

In addition to these green burial choices, there are other types of eco-friendly space that have many of the benefits of a natural burial without the burial process. One such service is a memorial forest. In this article, you’ll learn about what memorial forests are, why people choose them, and how to determine if a memorial forest is the right choice for you.

What is a memorial forest?

In a memorial forest, people can choose a memorial tree where their ashes are mixed with local soil and spread at the tree’s base. When you choose a memorial tree, you directly contribute to the conservation of forestland. Better Place Forests created America's first conservation memorial forests as a sustainable, natural alternative to cemeteries for those who choose cremation. You can learn about other alternatives for ashes here.

Instead of graves and tombstones, families choose a private, protected tree to return ashes to the earth. During a private forest memorial, ashes are mixed with native soil at the base of your chosen tree and become part of a healthy, thriving forest. 

How are memorial forests protected?

According to the Conservation Burial Alliance, natural cemeteries are established “in partnership with a conservation organization and include a conservation management plan that upholds best practices, and provides perpetual protection of the land according to a conservation easement or deed restriction.”

The forest protection process includes:

  • Purchasing land of high conservation value for the express purpose of protecting it from development
  • Committing to customers and communities to protect the land from development
  • Launching a stewardship trust to fund long-term care and maintenance
  • Eventually placing a conservation easement on the property
  • Hiring local arborists and foresters to help understand the unique ecosystems of each forest
  • Assess the forests for potential issues (like disease), while also pruning individual trees to ensure safety and accessibility

What are the benefits of choosing a memorial tree?

While natural burials are a good option for avoiding the environmental hazards that may come with a traditional burial, choosing a memorial forest for your final resting place can actively conserve and restore crucial forestland and wildlife habitats.

Some other benefits include:

  • A lasting, marked memorial: Once ashes have been spread, a personalized marker is placed at the base of the tree and loved ones can visit this location for years to come.  
  • A private family tree: If you choose, additional family members and pets may be added to the tree, making it a family memorial for generations.
  • Perpetual access to the forest: Depending on where you may choose to spread ashes, those spaces may eventually be developed or restricted. Ashes spread in a protected memorial forest will be ensured perpetual access. When you choose a memorial tree, you’re granted an irrevocable license to access that tree, and those licenses are recorded with local governments. 
  • A memorial in nature: Instead of visiting a cemetery, you and those closest to you can return to a beautiful forest memorial to remember and pay tribute. You may even spend time visiting the forest before the tree is needed to build memories, enjoy outdoor recreation, and picnic.
  • Spaces managed and maintained for visitation: Memorial forests are transformed and maintained for accessibility and health. Trail builders create pathways so you can walk around the forest and reflect. They also create wheelchair and ADA-compliant routes.

Is a memorial tree right for me?

If you’re considering cremation and prefer a lasting, sustainable memorial that helps preserve forestland and habitats, a memorial tree may be a good option to consider. When you choose a memorial tree with Better Place Forests, they’ll also plant up to 1,600 reforestation saplings in partnership with One Tree Planted.

To learn more about choosing a memorial tree with Better Place Forests, you can take an online forest tour to get to know the forest, choose a tree, and preserve forestland for generations. Whether you choose a memorial tree, conservation burial, or another green burial option, these alternatives mean your positive impact on the earth doesn’t have to end when we leave it. 

Categories: Managing a Death, Eco Friendly, Funeral Planning

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