Planting Memorial trees is one of the best ways to remember loved ones after they’ve passed away. Memorial trees are different from Legacy trees (planted when a child is born) in that the cremated remains (aka “cremains) of people or pets are often introduced into the soil beneath the Memorial tree. Rather than a cold stone marker, those in mourning can take comfort that their loved one will live on through the life and vitality of the tree.
Living Memorials have become very popular in the past decade. Besides the prohibitive cost of a traditional funeral and burial, there are environmental concerns as well. The formaldehyde is used to preserve a body is bio-residual – meaning it doesn’t break down easily – and ultimately ends up in groundwater. There are chemicals used in the construction materials of caskets that are also not environmentally friendly. A burial site takes up a large piece of real estate, only to be marked by a small stone.
For these reasons, folks who are environmentally-conscious have opted for cremation and living memorials that benefit the environment instead. Planting Memorial trees can be as simple as a small gathering of friends and family, to a more traditional funeral or celebration of life service.
There is one concern when planting Memorial trees with cremains: the high concentration of sodium and high pH in the ash can potentially stunt the growth or even kill a young tree. One company, The Living Urn – has created an entire system for safely planting the cremated remains underneath a memorial tree of your choice in an environmentally-friendly Bio Urn. They also have a network of cemeteries and parks that are registered “Memory Forests” where memorial trees can be registered as grave markers and cared for by the park department, ensuring that the tree will stay healthy.
If you’d like more information about this wonderful alternative to a traditional funeral service and burial, visit https://www.thelivingurn.com/ .