Circle of life for scientist

Mary Cole doesn’t hesitate when asked what she wants done with her mortal remains. The Garfield scientist wants her ashes to fertilise a tree.

“Absolutely! I’m not religious but I do believe that if you go and hug a tree, that’s a very spiritual experience.”

About two years ago, she was approached by the director of Living Legacy, Warren Roberts, who was working on a project to use the ashes of the dead to fertilise trees.

The problem, he told her, was that cremation ashes are toxic to trees because of their high salt and alkalinity levels, as high as caustic soda. He’d been told they couldn’t be detoxified.

Intrigued by the challenge, the renowned soil scientist took on the task of detoxifying them, working on the ashes of a dear departed friend.

Dr Cole created a mini media storm last week when she announced the job was done.

She took calls from ABC radio stations around the country and even one from the Times of London.

She is still bemused by the media storm but pleased the project has garnered such attention.

“When you think about it, how many people have Uncle Joe’s or Aunt Maude’s remains sitting at the back of a cupboard not knowing what to do with them. “Well, here’s another option.” The Living Legacy website had about 15,000 hits in the days after her interview was aired.

The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust in Melbourne has come on board and will introduce ‘The Living Legacy’ program – which will allow people to have their cremated ashes turned into fertiliser – at its 18 cemeteries.

Dr Cole says the detoxification process is totally organic, using microbiology to transform the salt and alkaline levels.

“My friend put a lot into the community during her life. After she died, her organs were donated. She was still giving back.

“When her family heard about what I was doing, they said that’s exactly what she would have wanted.”

“With great respect and humility, I used her ashes.

“The detoxified ashes were used to fertilise trees that have now gone back to where she lived.”

Dr Cole says many people love the idea of living on in trees that may grow for hundreds of years.

She expects the first interment of treated ashes to occur in June.