Did you know that there’s a profound way to memorialize our loved ones that not only honors their memory but also gives back to the Earth? With Better Place Forests, you can turn your ashes into a tree.

When you turn ashes into a tree, the process offers a deeply meaningful way to commemorate our loved ones. It not only pays tribute to their memory but celebrates life with tranquility and a commitment to sustainability. It represents love, remembrance, and the natural cycle of life in a respectful and eco-friendly manner.

Understanding the Process: How to Turn Ashes Into a Tree

For those who turn ashes into a tree, it’s a delicate and thoughtful process, designed to blend the essence of our loved ones with the nurturing soil, allowing a new life to flourish

In order to turn ashes into a tree, ashes collected from a funeral home are often inside of a plastic bag, and that plastic bag is inside of an urn. Ashes typically weigh four to eight pounds and are very alkaline. 

Spreading ashes around a fragile plant (such as a young plant or sapling) can hurt the plant because the pH of the soil changes too drastically. To ensure plant health, ashes are often mixed with soil and organic matter with a low pH level and potentially microbial bacteria. This helps lower the high pH level, so the ash mixture does not harm a tree. A larger tree with a big root system will be less affected than a young sapling.

Trees’ root systems take in elements from the soil around them. Ashes are primarily carbon, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Trees look for oxygen, water, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It’s difficult to prove, but it is very likely a tree with ashes spread around it will absorb bits of nutrients from the ashes if the mixture is bioavailable to the tree.

Environmental Harmony: Contributing to a Healthier Planet

From an environmental perspective, spreading the cremated ashes under a tree can help to reduce carbon emissions and provide a habitat for wildlife. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Additionally, trees provide a home for a variety of wildlife, including birds, insects, and small mammals.

Choosing to turn ashes into a tree aligns with a deep respect for the environment, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional memorials. Trees are vital to our ecosystem; they purify the air, offer homes to wildlife, and combat the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. When we turn ashes into a tree, we contribute to the environmental legacy of our loved ones, allowing their memory to flourish in the form of life-giving oxygen, sheltering branches, and a resilient presence that stands against the tide of time.

The Emotional Journey: Finding Comfort in Nature

From an emotional perspective, spreading the cremated ashes under a tree can provide comfort and healing for the bereaved. 

The decision to turn ashes into a tree weaves together the threads of loss and life, creating a space for solace and reflection. A lot of people want to turn ashes into a tree after someone passes, but they are unsure of how to do so. There are several ways to do this: 

• Choose a Memorial Tree 
• Planting a tree in someone’s honor
• Purchasing a biodegradable urn
  Compare these options

Living Memorial: Turn Ashes into a Tree

A living memorial offers a unique consolation—a reminder that from loss springs new life. It’s an invitation to reconnect and you can take comfort in knowing that a part of your loved one continues to grow, contributing to the beauty and health of the planet.

When you turn ashes into a tree, it serves as a physical reminder of the person who has passed away and can provide a peaceful and calming space for family and friends to visit and reflect on their memories. Spreading the cremated ashes under a tree can also help to create a sense of closure and provide a way to channel grief into a positive, life-affirming activity.

Symbolism of Trees

Trees are known for having a deep symbolism and meaning across cultures. For example, oak trees are associated with strength and resilience, while maple trees are associated with balance and harmony. 

In addition to the environmental and emotional benefits, spreading the cremated ashes under a tree can also provide a sense of legacy and continuity. As the tree grows and thrives, it serves as a living testament to the person’s life and can be passed down through generations as a family heirloom.

Turning ashes into a tree is more than a tribute, it can provide comfort and healing for those who are grieving. It is a beautiful and meaningful way to honor the memory of a loved one while also contributing to the health and beauty of the planet.