DON’T SCATTER ASHES ON PEAK
Call to mourners as experts warn of damage to Snowdon summit area:
GRIEVING families are being told not to scatter their loved ones’ ashes on Snowdon – in case it upsets other people or damages the soil.
The Snowdonia Park Authority says it has received complaints from people about mourners, and says burned human remains can damage the eco- system and make the soil more acidic.
A spokesman for the Authority said: “Whilst we empathise with families and relatives suffering the loss of a loved one, the Snowdonia National Park Authority does not encourage the scattering of ashes on Snowdon summit and surrounding areas.
“The summit itself is a very small area geographically with over half a million visitors throughout the year.
“However well-intentioned, the dispersal of ashes is problematic as it can be upsetting for others in the vicinity and we have received many complaints from the public in the past.
“In terms of ecology, the area’s soils are low acidic types and the spreading of what is calcareous materials will lead to changes to the existing soils and subsequently the natural ecosystems.”
In the visitor centre there are notices displayed which explain how the remains can affect the soil’s natural balance but the authority is not actually able to stop people from scattering ashes.
The effect the process has on mountains has been compared to gardeners putting coal ash or bone meal on vegetables - the ash fundamentally encourages the growth of mosses and grasses at high altitude.
A spokesman for the conservation charity Snowdonia Society added: “We certainly have sympathy to the situation on Snowdon but it’s really become an issue of quantity and that is now beginning to disrupt soil chemistry.
“I would probably advise that people who wish to spread ashes there - Snowdonia is a huge area with room for everyone - maybe find a quiet spot and scatter the ashes in the wind rather than dumping them in a pile.”