WOODLAND BURIALS

I believe there's one in South Carolina; I read about it several years ago. The body is wrapped in a simple sheet and buried, with just a plain, inconspicuous marker to indicate the gravesite. It was a beautiful setting, very serene, & it was actually very appealing.

That's interesting to know, Lauram...
At the British woodland sites it seems any type of coffin is permitted so long as it is biodegradable ..e.g. woven willow, or wood ...

not heard of this Terra but a nice idea especially as not everyone wants to be burried in a churchyard or crem, i quite fancy the idea myself, a wonderfull setting to spend eternity :o)thats if the goverment dont sell them all off :o(

Hi Sandra ...
Yes, let's hope the woodlands don't disappear too fast !

There are a number of sites in our area, Terra. Often they are in grassy, birch woodland but a local one is in what was once a commercial forest on coastal land.
The graves are left as natural as possible. No tombstones or plants and just a discrete marker to identify the spot. The graves are sort of randomly scattered through the woodland rather than in ranks.
I have only attended one ceremony. The ceremony itself was held remotely from the site and was in a civil format but with a spiritual emphasis. In this case the coffin was carried through the woodland on a horse drawn carriage and laid to rest in the grave.
It was all much more personal and meaningful than the conventional church service and is what I would want for myself.

Thank you, Bulbaholic ...
You've described the locations and ceremony really well.
That helps :o)

its a bit morbid but in my will its stated my music and cremation,and to scatter my ashs in woodland,mainly where i grew up and played and in the spring there are tons of bluebells and i fancy comeing back as a bluebell,i dont want to be buried with unhappyness and tears i want joy and serenity,chris

Good comments, Chris ...
You'll be the prettiest bluebell in the woods :o) x

Hi TT,there are a couple around my area..never been to one but my daughter has and said it was a more personal ceremony..it quite appeals to me..i think :o)

Hi Joanella ...
That's interesting to know your daughter likes the idea...
yes... it appeals to me, too .. :o)

my mum attended one a few years ago. she said it was so lovely....a willow coffin, friends and family did all the talking and they took him to the woodland on the back of his tractor...no headstone just to become part of the woods.
my Dad wants me to scatter his ashes at the mouth of the river ebbw...he has lived and worked alongside it all of his life.

my fatherin-law was an amazing veg gardener...grew champion onions, parsnips and carrots....guess where his ashes are?

Great comments, Sandra ...
so descriptive of the tractor in the woodland ...
... and of the allotment veg ... ;o)

Hi TT We dont have any forestry local to us, so have never attended such a ceremony, but it is very appealing, and I for one wouldnt mind going that way....

have you ever been to one of these funerals Terra?

Good to see you back Terra. I've never heard of this before so know nothing about it but it does sound a very interesting idea. On a practical level, it must be very difficult to dig graves in a wood (tree roots etc)! I also wonder about the disruption to the undisturbed look of the woodland floor which is surely part of the essence of a wood? Maybe this quickly reverts and is also not too noticeable if there are only a small number of burials.

i have heard of them ........ and totally agree with them . and the whole nature thing . there was a documentary on telly once bt it .......... you plant a tree in memory instead of a gravestone , allso scatter ashes there . the tree is always there to viet and i think the persons name is there . it a lovely idea and one i do think about .

My next door neighbour's friend had a woodland service,it had a lake and statue's of fish in the water, as his friend had been a keen fisherman this was apt. My next door neighbour really liked the idea of this kind of burial/service and setting.

we have an open burial ground that in time will become woodland. the service can be whatever, church, or by 'Friends' these are non religous services carried out by selected compassionate 'friends' [The funeral directors put us in touch with this alternative. The service was a super summary of a long life and it felt as if he really knew him.]

at this site no elaborate headstones are allowed though a p[lain simple marker is ok. saplings are planted and they have to be british native trees.

Its a great idea folks, I'd be happy fertilising a tree!

there are a couple in my area too and do seem very natural and peaceful

I never knew you could be buried in woodland. I have been to a scattering of ashes in a woodland next to a crematorium.

I've heard of this but don't know of any places where it can be done near here.
I'ts something that will become even more popular in the future I think, and I like the idea.

I've only attended services at a crematorium, and burials in a churchyard, not yet at a woodland ... but the idea seems to be gaining in popularity ...

Thanks all of you for your thoughts on this ...
... more comments welcome :o)

I've always loved the idea Terra. There's a woodland burial site some miles from here, but where I live we have an area of woodland where you can get permission to plant a tree in memory of someone. It has to be an indiginous tree, and we chose a silver birch and a flowering cherry for two members of my gardening group. No plaques were allowed, but we were able to put up a nesting-box on one, and scatter wild flower seeds near the other. It's good to have a quiet place where you can walk, and think about the person.

Those are lovely ideas, Sheila ...
nice to be able to choose the indigenous trees and what a great thought to put up the nesting box.

I too love the idea rather than a graveyard with rows on headstones, when my husbands best friend died last summer he had a cardboard coffin (looked like wood), and his ashes were scattered in the wood where he and my husband and friends played as children, we dedicated a tree to him with the Woodlands Trust (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk) cost £12.00 the tree is not marked but you could choose the woodland where the tree is, and write a small dedication to the person, they send a lovely card to you (you can choose from a selection i chose a bluebell wood) and details of where the tree is. As the friend was a great naturalist and loved trees we thought this was very appropriate and the woodland is looked after by the trust. I have also bought a small statue of mother nature for my garden in memory of him (see my pics)

Those are wonderful ideas, Skilla...
Could you please give the date of your photo, to make it easier for anyone to find in your pics... Thanks.

That sounds a lovely idea Skilla. It appeals to me as I'm not keen on the idea of being buried anywhere but to have my ashes scattered in a wood sounds great.

Woodland burials or scattering of ashes in woodlands, also seem good ideas where you expect there to be no mourners or very few, such as a person dying with no close relatives ... better than a crematorium chapel full of empty seats !

now there was a programme on telly the other week about this Tt but I'm sorry I can't remember where it is, definately this country, will ask my OH if he can remember and will come back if he does,

it seems that the more who read this , fancy it ........... i certainly do , and so apt 4 those who loveplants and nature .

Hi Cristina and Yorkshire ...
You can find woodland burial sites by googling ...
there are some nice ones :o)

I havnt been to one myself but i know my uncle was buried in one some years ago now... he had a cardboard coffin i think..... and a tree was planted as well.........he lived in the Eastbourne area east susssex.

Hi Holly ... seems like when your uncle had the woodland burial, the option was less well-known ... but now becoming a popular choice ...

def be cheking that out .........

I`ve not heard of this but but it sounds a good idea...

... seems a better idea the more I think about it ...

pic of statue, 21-06 and page 5 of my photos :o)

My late ex-husband is buried in a woodland site in Worcestershire. It is not a conventional wood in the truest sense of the word....I think lots of people envisage a wood full of trees and graves! His grave is marked by a simple wooden plaque on one of the wide slopes. We planted a tree right next to the grave.

The burial service was carried out by his partner...a simple humanist service... the only music was provided by her and her friends. The coffin was a biodegradable one. White doves were released towards the end of the service. The only unfortunate aspect was the torrential rain which fell that day in August. My children tend the grave regularly and have planted some evergreens on the grave. See the site on here:

www.westallpark.net/

Thanks Izzy, for your informative description ..
... I'll take a look at the link ..
Good that your children are able to tend the grave ...

Skilla... I'll check out your pic ...

Mum reckons she wants a bush burial, I haven't even thought about it to be quite frank!

Bush burial ... sounds interesting !

I have already written a letter for my children about my wishes and I have asked them for no flowers, but money to a charity, I dont wont an expensive coffin but either a willow or banana leaf one, and I want to be scattered with my hubbie in a beautiful place be it a woodland or coastal place. Its hard writing a letter now, but think its important and hopefully will help my children with the difficult decisions when the time comes. With my mum we sent a huge donation to the Lifeboats in lieu of flowers, although we all love flowers it seems so sad to leave them behind at a crematorium, knowing they are cleared away within days. One of my hubbs. scouting pals has just died and we are all planting a Copper Beech tree over at the district HQ. in his memory.

Same as you Grandmage, I want no flowers/music/fuss, and my ashes are going to be scattered near the sea in a small vilage in Cumbria.

Heard of them and know of some locally but never attended one. Like the idea and would probably have that for myself! :-)

Thanks, Grandmage, Mavis and Red aly for your comments on here ...

... the more I consider all this, the more I prefer the thought of a woodland burial ...
.. and good idea to give money to charity or plant trees, instead of expensive cut flowers ...

Agree with you Terra, also more environmentally friendly! Like the idea that people can still enjoy the scenery too. :-)

Just to add...visits to the woodland setting are very different depending on the time of year. Winter struck me as particularly dramatic when a hoar frost 'froze' the trees into a white canvas ... the whole scene looked very architectural. A totally different impression was given in summer when the birds were in full song, the air was heavy with the perfume of flowers and the trees swayed gently in the summer breeze.

It is very, very peaceful, no matter what season of year we visit.

That's a lovely description, Izzy ...
... wonderful thought of the peaceful woodland setting in different seasons ...

Izzy - if there was anyone left to convert, I reckon you have now done it . . . you're a painter with words!

Agree with Sheila ! :o)

This is a lovely idea TT, I certainly don't want to be in a churchyard. When I was evacuated to Dorset during WW11 my brothers and I played on the cliffs, despite being away from home I have some great memories of that time so I have asked to be cremated and my ashes scattered over the cliffs. There is a special cliff which we visit whenever we go to Dorset it's really beautiful, a lovely place to be.

Hi Bob ...
... ashes on your special Dorset cliffs ...
good choice :o)

LOL....I haven't got shares in it, ladies....honestly!

I do think it is such a lovely setting...but I cannot bear the thought of burials/interment for myself...but happy that my ex was happy with that! Not for me! Each to their own, eh!

Izzy... there is the option of ashes scattered in woodland settings... is that what you prefer ?

That sounds perfect, Doctorbob. Wouldn't mind that for myself . . . Lulworth Cove maybe, or among the fossils of Kimmeridge Bay?!

Lovely Sheila, though I must say I hope the wind is blowing in the right direction when they scatter me over the edge.

thanks fot this fascinating blog Terra. My children know I want a cardboard box funeral. It's so interesting and moving to hear real experiences of this sort of burial.

Yes, of course, Terra, ...and that is what it will be!

I have seen so many interments and it always sends shivers down my spine. A purely personal reaction, of course!

A very interesting blog...I need to commit these thoughts to paper....so my wishes are clear....you never know! LOL.

Lol. Bob ... you create a whirlwind wherever you are .. ;o)

Thanks, Bornagain. Giant shoebox sounds good to me ...

Izzy ... Have you been following the TV series "Can't Take It With You"? ... BBC2 Fridays 9 pm - 10.00 pm.

Very thought provoking about leaving clear instructions in our Wills and in our Letters of Wishes.

I love that program Terra, who would have thought it would be so interesting:-)

Yes, I find it fascinating ... must watch all the way through .... every time ... to see how the decisions are made about the Wills ! :o)

I have seriously informed my family that I want a green cardboard box. Crem job suits me just fine & not to keep the ash's. Instead either throw them anywhere into the sea from the beach or attach to a skyrocket & light the blue touchpaper. Two songs by Deep Forrest, Sweet Lullaby & Night Bird. Job done.

Hi Bampy ..
Good that you've let your family know your wishes ...
Sky rocket seems ideal ...
definitely spreading a little happiness ..
far and wide ...lol. :o)

Literally go out with a bang eh? :-)
my family know how much I love skyrockets Nov 5th so maybe it'll be a big "OOO" & then "AHHH" & then pub!!

Lol...
... now that really would be competition for aurora borealis ;o)

I have read all the comments with interest,as I also think along the same lines,and my family already know I want a Humanist funeral,and ashes scattered where I want.I am amazed how many would prefer an alternative to the norm,these days..and think, up to recent times,people were a bit nervous of expressing their views on this..but it is nice to know we have a choice if we so wish..

There are 3 slave cemetaries in wooded areas, some marked by rocks with carvings others only have a pile of stones, out in the field of the college behind my home. My neighbor always had a beautiful flowerbed of impatients. When she passed away her family spread her ashes over her flowers. The family had a big BBQ just liked she always done and afterwards they had the graveyard (?) service. I have often wondered seems like I don't see many grave stones older than 75-100 years. I have made it a point to look for older graves for at least 20 years. I know several years ago there was a controversy here in Huntsville where the hospital moved a graveyard in order to enlarge their facility. Nobody claimed the bodies I don't know what they did with them. There are news stories where construction companies dig up graves and ... nobody knows.I have a question for all of you-with all the people who have lived (died) before us, where are all their graves? Where I lived in Kansas there was a graveyard and the city annexed and built houses on top of a cemetary. I believe that after a generation or two the dead are forgotten and the cemetaries aren't important. Sure seems that way, especially now that churches don't have graveyards next to their buildings anymore. None of them were very big. I always told my kids to throw my body in the river and feed the fish that I ate enough of them I need to pay them back, but with that being illegal, being sprinkled over my flowers sounds peaceful. That reminds me, at the end of the block the guy who built the house got burned before it was finished and his wife had him burried in the back yard. That was his final request. She had a gazebo built there. I don't mean to be morbid at all. Why not let the person RIP where they really want to. There's no sense spending all that money to be put into a cemetary that won't last.

Fascinating Southerngal, love your thoughts re the fish pay back:-) There was an item today on the radio about how we here in England are rapidly running out of space for grave yards and even those whos loved ones are cremated, often want them to be buried after in a sort of marked grave. Also, when planning permission is sought for a cemetary there are many objections from local people. My uncle Jimmy donated his body to medical science many years before his death. Unfortunately his best laid plans were thwarted as he died unexpectedly, albeit in his eighties, he had to have a post mortem so his body was of no use. As to your question, I suppose that formal graveyards as we know them are a fairly new invention and, as most of the bodies eventually disappear naturally, there are no markers as to where they may be. Sometimes of course they are revealed by accidental, or otherwise, excavation. Does anyone visit the slave graveyards?

Interesting comments, Southerngal and Bornagain ...

... seems like we'll all have to be buried on another planet ...

I asked Revis' family about how they felt about her being out back in her flowers now 8 months later. Keith Jr. is living at the house and he feels obligated to keep up the flowers. I asked about closure. No problem everybody's doing good, but keeping up the yard like Grandma did will be hard because nobody ever helped her. Then he asked if we'd do it since my daughter and me was always out there with her. I told him that we are busy with our own lives and it would take a lot of time to plant all those 100's of flowers but maybe if he'd have a BBQ then the whole family would show up and we'd be there to instruct (and eat,of course). Keith said he'd see about it. I doubt if anything will happen. I told him about this blog ask asked him if they would do it again. Definitely.
The Slave cemetary(s), one was upgraded probably 10 years ago, some of the professors are there now with big memorials. They made a historical sight of it and have plaques about the history of the area and how the property became deeded to the college. The whole area used to be a cotton field.

Hi again Southerngal ..
Thanks for asking family about their feelings, some months later. Interesting ...

... I guess there could be a "gardening party" for friends and everyone, and the guests bring along plants, and forks, trowels etc, so the garden upkeep work is shared ...

To be really honest with you I doubt if more than 1 or 2 would show up. I can't see any of them preparing the beds, tilling and adding the potting soil, she always used 'potting soil,' saying topsoil wouldn't produce the pretty plants she wanted. This is sure bringing up a lot of memories. Revis is the one who inspired me to grow flowers. Her sister from Illinois would come down in the spring, I homeschooled, so we would go out back and help them (party!) well almost. It was an exciting time though. And there were many learning experiences. There was one year when her granddaughters and my 10 year old were removing the brown stuff (I don't know what you call it) off the walnuts. The stuff stains, we learned it's used to make dye. Well, we are white, and they're black. My girl's skin got stained where she rubbed the sweat off her face, her arms were brown hands were black, that poor girl was spotted all over and it didn't wash off. It took all summer for it to disappear.
Ruth, the gal at the end of the block with the gazebo, her family had him moved when she died a couple of years ago. They are buried together now.

This certainly has stirred up some memories for you!

... good to have memories of being inspired to grow flowers ... and learning about walnut stains !

Have just found this.....OH and I attended one of these green burials, it was beautiful, our friend was a Buddist, she had a informal service conduced by a Jesuit Priest and then we all went in to the wood where she was buried in a wicker coffin which was carried on a horse and cart, a small ceremony was held and flowers were thrown onto the coffin, then we all went back to a cafe on the site, would certainly recommend it.
Details below.Nestling under a canopy of broadleaf trees and a yew grove, our natural burial site lies in a peaceful and secluded corner of The Sustainability Centre.

It is bordered on three sides by woodland, creating a true sense of intimacy and privacy. Part of the South Downs National Park, the south side overlooks a 50-acre sheep pasture and, on a clear day, gives breathtaking views across Hampshire down to the coast.

Many families have found great comfort here, laying their loved ones to rest with natural and simple dignity.

In keeping with our ethos, each grave is dug especially by hand to minimise any impact on the flora, fauna and tranquility of the site. Coffins and shrouds are made from fully biodegradable materials. No permanent headstones or grave-markings are used here (again, to protect the natural surroundings) but families are most welcome to plant native wild flowers.

For the burial itself, the coffin is conveyed through the grounds using a hand-drawn bier, or a horse-drawn cart. We also offer a room in which services are held, and can arrange hospitality.

Naturally, the location of each grave is meticulously plotted and recorded, and families are provided with a map. A book of remembrance also allows messages and photographs to be recorded on a dedicated page.

Like the Centre, the burial site is owned by the charity Earthworks Trust.

A natural alternative
Our natural burial ground is managed according to an ecologically sound system. The woodland is worked as a coppice to ensure a rich bio-diversity, encouraging wildlife including owls, badgers, raptors and stoats.

Hi Dotty...

The burial of your Buddhist friend ... very tranquil and peaceful... thanks for all the extra information... I like the idea of the horse and cart ...

~most of our dogs have been buried in the woods where they all have walked and played throughout their lives apart from the last two who have a joint site at the local RSPCA marked with a plaque and tete a tete daffs and a Hellebore.
Does the local council have to allow burial? surely you can't just be buried anywhere~ although of course ashes can be scattered anywhere I'm not keen on cremation.

Hello Arlene ...
Thanks for your thoughts ...
Yes, I guess ashes can be scattered almost anywhere ...

The law apparently allows up to 2 burials in a domestic setting without the need for planning permission but there are certain formalities to be attended to including recording the burial/s on the title deeds of your house. More informationcan be found on this site. http://www.funeralinspirations.co.uk/information/Technical-Requirements.html
What a fascinating blog. We are seriously considering paying for our funerals now to save a lot of hassle for the family when the time comes.Is this something others have experience of and if so would you share that with us.
My brother arranged our mothers funeral at a crematorium as she wished. He also asked for no flowers. I felt she needed some and turned up with a wreath I made using flowers from my garden many of which had come from her. He was not pleased and would not allow them to be placed in the crematorium. Some friends who had travelled a long way without checking first about flowers brought other wreaths. They all sat outside at the exit to the chapel. She was a vey much alive person and would have been deeply hurt at his actions but we all knew that and made allowances for his grief. She had lived with him and his family for 15 years.

I guess it is sensible for us to leave written requests as to how and where we would like to be buried/cremated. A few years ago, a friend of mine walked into the local Co-op Undertakers, and paid for his complete funeral package ... he is the sort of person who says he "doesn't want to cause expense or hassle to other people"...

With flowers, I think many people would prefer the money to be given to charities, so a wreath made of flowers from your own garden seems a very good compromise... a lovely idea :o)

My uncle died recently and his was a service in church, where he was baptised over 80 years ago, followed by internment in the cemetary in the churchyard. Family flowers only and a retiring collection for the local youth clubs fund raising for a new pavilion for the village playing field seemed a fitting celebration of his happy life. I think we forget nowadays that death was accepted as part of living and maybe we are going back to that but I was shocked at the reaction of a neighbour when her father died. She was totally devastated. She had never seen a dead body whereas I had seen all our dead relatives as the coffins were always placed on trestles in the front room and friends and neighbours came to pay their respects. They almost always brought a donation of home baking. The service was held in the room and only the minister and the men went to the internment usually on foot then came back to the wake in the house where the women had laid out a meal. Crematoriums were very new in our part of Scotland and when one was built in Aberdeen my parents decided that is what they wanted for themselves. The lying in and service was as usual but then Dad was taken in a hearse and the rest of us went in buses and cars on the 3 hour journey to Aberdeen. A meal was laid on in a hotel on the way back. Neighbours had hot food ready for us when we got home and the wake was as usual. The 'do you remember' stories that one heard at wakes kept those people alive and they were never put away and forgotten.

Very interesting and helpful comments for this blog, Scotsgran.
Thank you :o)