Helping people write a better ending to their story
Meet the team behind America’s first memorial forests. We believe sustainable memorials can help people and the planet.
Why we do it
Co-founder Sandy Gibson’s parents died when he was young. When he was 10 his father died of a stroke, and at 11 his mother died of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He spent his youth regularly visiting an urban cemetery. In his own words:
“My mother wanted to be with her family forever. She picked the last family plot available in a nearby cemetery, despite it being beside a busy street where the noise of traffic and sirens from the nearby fire station filled the air. After years of visiting her grave, I realized the image of her tombstone was the first thing that came to me.”
My happiest memories with my parents took place in nature. I knew there had to be a better way to remember and connect with the people we love.
We want to remember the people we love surrounded by nature and life, knowing that they helped create and protect a beautiful part of our Earth. We want to help families write a better ending to their story.
Co-Founder
A natural next chapter
Our solution
A positive environmental impact
By choosing a memorial tree, you help protect the forest for future generations to visit and enjoy. We’ll also plant additional saplings in your honor.
A beautiful place to remember
Your friends and family will have a beautiful, peaceful place to return your ashes to the earth, and to visit when they want to connect with your memory.
A permanent Memorial Marker
Similar to survey monuments used by the US Geological Survey to mark key geographical locations, your memorial marker indicates an important location.
Protecting forests nationwide
A new way to connect with nature
A Forest Memorial can be a new beginning for families: a way to connect with nature and the ones we love.
Replanting America’s Forests with Arbor Day Foundation
We’re committed to reforestation beyond our forest properties. In partnership with the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation, we plant 25-400 new saplings for each Memorial Tree chosen. We’ve donated over 200,000 trees to support reforestation and planting projects across the country.
Our Guides
Explore available
trees with a Guide
Find the tree that speaks to you by exploring trees online or in-forest.
