Memorial options explained
Living memorials—rooted in nature, growing for generations.
Two ways to create a living memorial
Memorial Tree
- Multiple people & pets at one tree
- You choose tree & location
- Add a personalize Guide-led ceremony
- Add customized Memorial Marker
Your tree. Your forest. Your choices.
Starting at $6,200 • View Pricing
Bundle with cremation • Save $1,000
Spreading Grove
- Honors one life in a shared grove
- Location chosen for you
- Simple self-led memorial ceremony
- Includes small, simple marker
A grove. A forest. A place to rest.
Starting at $2,250 • View Pricing
Bundle with cremation • Save $1,000
Nature Memorial Ceremony
A personalized ceremony with loved ones to return ashes to the earth.
Memorial Marker
A customized bronze marker placed at a tree or grove to honor a life.
Memorial Tree
A Memorial Tree isn’t just a tree, it’s your place of belonging. Ashes return to earth and loved ones are remembered in a protected forest.
A natural alternative to traditional burial or keeping ashes stored at home.
A place where families can visit, remember, and find connection.
A memorial that can be shared with family and pets over time.
Your tree is in a conservation forest; protected from development always.
Spreading Grove
Spread ashes in a shared grove within a protected Memorial Forest—a living tribute that honors your loved one while nurturing new life.
A meaningful return to nature; no complicated, costly arrangements.
Shared space, private moments: a community of remembrance.
Your memorial is preserved within a conservation forest in perpetuity.
Visit anytime for quiet reflection or peaceful forest walks.
Nature Memorial Ceremony
A Nature Memorial is a personal ceremony held beneath a Memorial Tree or in a Spreading Grove. It is not a formality. It is a moment.
Choose poems, readings, and music to reflect your values and beliefs.
Family and loved ones gather in the forest to honor a life.
Ashes are returned to the earth where they become part of the forest.
Space to remember moments, stories, and the life that connects everyone.
Memorial Marker
After ashes are spread, honor your loved one with a custom bronze marker—a permanent natural alternative to tombstones.
Heavy-duty bronze marker, designed to endure for generations.
Inscribed with tree or license number and permanently recorded.
Cared for by conservationists year-round as part of the living forest.
Seamlessly blends in with the natural landscape without intrusion.
Nature is at the heart of everything we do
Every step of our process is designed to honor nature, from carbon-neutral cremation to a living memorial in a protected forest.
Carbon-Neutral Cremation
Honoring nature means accounting for our impact.
A Memorial Tree or Spreading Grove
A resting place that grows, gives back, and protects.
Nature Memorial Ceremony
A ceremony in nature that helps families find comfort.
OUR FOUNDATION
Return to nature,
help protect it
When ashes return to the earth at a Memorial Tree, they become part of a living forest. Your memorial doesn’t just rest in nature—it helps safeguard it.
Our Forests
Every acre we protect is a place where families can heal.
Memorials
Meaningful ceremonies and gatherings, rooted in nature.
Grief Support
Helping people navigate loss, with nature as their guide.
Conservation
Protecting spaces where healing happens naturally.
RESOURCES
Want to know more?
Talk to a Guide, 24/7
When you’re ready, we’re here.
Explore at your own pace
See the two ways families honor a life.
Questions?
We're here to help.
What memorial options does Better Place offer?
Better Place offers two living memorial options in protected forests across the country.
A Memorial Tree is a private tree you choose—species, forest, and location—where cremated remains are returned to the earth. It’s the more personal option, with room to add family members and pets over time.
A Spreading Grove is a dedicated spot within a shared grove where cremated remains are spread. It’s a simpler, more accessible way to create a lasting place in nature.
What is a Memorial Tree?
A Memorial Tree is a private tree in a protected Memorial Forest where ashes are returned to the earth. It’s a natural, lasting alternative to burial.
What is a Spreading Grove?
A Spreading Grove is a designated area within a protected Memorial Forest where families can spread cremated remains. Each spot honors one person in a shared, peaceful setting.
What is a Memorial Marker?
A Memorial Marker is a non-corrosive, heavy-duty bronze plaque that marks the location where your loved one’s ashes have been spread.
Spreading Grove Memorial Markers are small and simple, stamped with a name and dates.
Memorial Tree Memorial Markers include the option to fully customize your message up to 180 characters and 6 lines—creating a permanent place of remembrance in nature.
Can families visit after ashes are spread?
Absolutely. Your Memorial Tree or Spreading Grove is yours to return to. Families, friends, and pets are always welcome—whether to gather and remember, walk the trails, or simply spend time in nature.
Are Memorial Trees and Spreading Groves available everywhere?
Memorial Trees and Spreading Groves are located within Better Place’s nine protected Memorial Forests, coast to coast.
West Coast
Point Arena Memorial Forest, CA
Santa Cruz Memorial Forest, CA
Yosemite Gateway Memorial Forest, CA
Lake Arrowhead Memorial Forest, CA
Southwest
Flagstaff Memorial Forest, AZ
Midwest
St. Croix Valley Memorial Forest, MN
Rock River Memorial Forest, IL
Northeast
Litchfield Hills Memorial Forest, CT
Berkshires Memorial Forest, MA
