The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Remembered forever
Better Place Forests offers resting place in nature
FALLS VILLAGE — Better Place Forests wants to help families find their loved ones a resting place that is meaningful, as well as environmentally conscious.
The California-based company founded by Sandy Gibson helps those families choose a place to bury a loved one’s ashes in a “spreading ceremony” under a tree in its forests, which include locations in California; Flagstaff, Ariz.; in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities; and, now, in Falls Village. The 130-acre property was owned by resident Susan Kelsey.
“I love the idea that Better Place Forests will help protect this property and its natural beauty for generations to come,” Kelsey said. “Falls Village is known for its lush greenery and iconic open spaces, and I’m inspired knowing that this forest will continue to be conserved while offering such a peaceful way for the families and friends of our community to memorialize one’s life.”
Gibson’s idea is simple:
“We’re a sustainable alternative to cemeteries,” he said. “Instead of a grave or a tombstone, the person is in a permanently protected forest.
“Eighty percent of baby boomers are expected to use cremation, and that’s not because they’ve lost a need for a sense of place,” Gibson said. “When they look at cemeteries, they don’t speak to them, from a value and cost perspective, and some really want to be in nature. They really love nature and want to be part of it. They might have an idea to have their ashes spread, and they like the idea of being part of conservation.
“Others are religious, and the need for a cemetery is there — they want something for the family to be able to come back to,” he said. “They connect with God through nature.”
Gibson lost his parents when he was very young. “The family couldn’t afford burial plots at the time, but we eventually ended up using a cemetery in Toronto, where I grew up,” he said. “It’s not a beautiful place, and there’s a bus stop on the corner. So when I think of where my beautiful mother is buried, I think of that bus stop. When we started, we wanted a beautiful place to remember that family member.”
When a customer enters into an arrangement with Better Place Forests, they are presented with the idea of placing a family member under a chosen tree in a forest of their choice. “They come online, and we walk them through the forest idea, and they look at the different sites, a hill or a certain view of the mountains or the plants there,” Gibson said. “What we didn’t expect is that 19 out of 20 customers are choosing a place for themselves and their families, and they are getting an enormous sense of place with their own tree. When they choose that tree, it’s very special.”
A tree site starts at $4,900, Gibson said. “The average funeral and burial can cost from $8,000 up to $15,000 for one person. For this, you’re getting something totally different,” he said. “If you’re in a cemetery and you want to buy additional plots, it can add up to thousands of dollars. There’s also the chance you won’t be able to get all the space you need, to keep the family together.”
Customers also want a place where family members can visit and have a meaningful experience, he said. “When my brother goes back to Toronto to visit, he takes his kids there, and he says, ‘This is where your grandparents are buried,’ and they have that memory. If you choose a tree, in a forest, it’s an experience and a beautiful memory.”
COVID-19 also has changed the way people think about their final wishes, Gibson said.
“People are planning ahead a little bit,” he said. “It’s important for families to have the comfort of knowing that their plans are in place. For families who want the option of being together, the forest idea works. There’s so much space. Thousands of trees ... unlike a cemetery with plots that runs out of space.”
An entire family can be placed in a spreading ceremony under one tree, one at a time, he said. “It’s so important for people to be remembered in a certain way. This is how you have your story end. ... It’s your choice,” Gibson said.
The company purchases properties from private landowners, such as the 130 acres in Falls Village. “Susan Kelsey is a conservationist, and the land is in beautiful condition,” Gibson said. “It’s rare to find forests that are really healthy. Susan was excited about stewarding the property forever.”
The company also got support from local leaders.
“When I look at new and innovative projects, I aim to see them through the lens of what’s best for Falls Village: what will benefit the town, give back to the community, and continue to protect its natural beauty?” said Falls Village Selectman David Barger. “Better Place Forests fits the bill. Not only will they help conserve our forestland, they are seeking to hire locally and have already begun building positive relationships here. Their memorial forest will be a welcome addition to what Falls Village has to offer.”
“When you think about what we do, our mission is to help every person leave a legacy for their family in the world, and to protect nature,” Gibson said. “My parents live in in this work, and the more it grows, the more it means to family. As painful as it is to lose someone, the death can turn into something more, something positive.”
Gibson recently chose his own tree in California.
“It’s a beautiful spot, and the wind blows through the trees there,” he said. “It’s very comforting.”
To learn more about Better Place Forests, visit betterplaceforests.com.