Kate’s documentary on ‘hidden Wales’ goes back to the land
AN ECO-FRIENDLY burial ground where human remains become tree food will feature in an upcoming documentary series exploring hidden Wales.
Off the Beaten Track, presented by Kate Humble, returned yesterday with the wildlife presenter back on the road to visit some of the country’s lesser-known corners.
The BBC Wales shows holds a special place in Kate’s heart – as 12 years ago she fell in love with Wales and has since made her permanent home in Monmouthshire.
The series looks at the environmental impact we have on the planet, delving into how we can go green even beyond the grave.
To explore this, Kate visited Sanctuary Wood in Boduan, near Pwllheli, run by the Eternal Forest Trust.
At the site she met three “extraordinary women” – Eternal Forest Trust CEO Arabella Melville, funeral director Adrianne Hickey and gravedigger Julie Hilman.
Kate, 50, said: “Natural burial grounds are becoming ever popular because instead of impacting the environment, they nurture it. In death, people are transformed into new forms of life.”
The process involves the physical remains being placed in a biodegradable coffin, all of which is gradually absorbed by microscopic organisms in the soil. The nutrients are then passed to fungi, and in turn feed the roots of trees in the area.
Arabella added: “What we’re seeking to do is to increase biodiversity and to restore the wood to what it would have been, or something like that. The intention is not for people to be preserved, but to compost and to become tree food.”
During her visit, viewers also saw Kate assist gravedigger Julie as she prepared for the arrival of an elderly man who had recently passed away. She even fulfilled his last wish by dancing on his grave to flatten the earth above his coffin.
The wildlife presenter mentioned the experience on her social media back in September 2018.
In a post to her 16,000 followers, she said those involved were “extraordinary women” who are “helping transform the way we deal with death.”