A “memorial forest” that offers outdoor burials opened for virtual tours this week, showcasing the first such burial property in the Northeast.
The 130-acre woodland, called Better Place Forests Litchfield Hills, is located in Falls Village in Litchfield County, a remote area in the northwest corner of the state.
San Francisco-based Better Place Forests creates “conservation memorial forests,” which are billed as an alternative to cemeteries for people who choose cremation. Cremated ashes are mixed with soil and placed beneath a private, selected tree, which is designated with a memorial marker at the tree’s base. The company also operates two memorial forests in California, one in Arizona and one in Minnesota.
Since Better Place announced the opening of the Litchfield memorial forest in November, more than 6,000 people have signed up to get updates, the company said. Those who sign up for virtual tours can pick their burial trees in the process.
The base price for burial at Better Place Forests Litchfield Hills starts at $4,900, and customers can choose trees from tree species including northern red oak, chestnut oak, red maple, sugar maple and black cherry.
Each tree used for a memorial is environmentally mitigated by planting 25 to 400 trees elsewhere through a partnership with nonprofit One Tree Planted. Better Place Forests also said it protects its burial properties from development and protects biodiversity.
“Northwest Connecticut is one of the most beautiful places in the country, and we’re honored to help protect the woods and forestland that this region is well-known for,” said Sandy Gibson, co-founder and CEO of Better Place Forests.
Better Place Forests Litchfield Hills is slated to open for in-person tours in June 2021 with memorial ceremonies beginning in Summer 2022.
