Forms of burial
A tree instead of a stone. What that changes, for better and for worse.
Natural burial appeals to more and more families in Switzerland. The idea is simple: the ashes rest at the foot of a tree or in a meadow rather than under a headstone.
It always presupposes a cremation: only ashes may be laid to rest this way.
Approved memorial forests offer trees whose roots hold one or more urns. You acquire a plot for a fixed period, often far longer than for a municipal grave.
The urn is biodegradable. The spot is identified by a small, discreet marker; there is no headstone and no maintenance to arrange.
No maintenance obligation: no flowers to change, no trimming, no recurring costs. For relatives who live far away, that is often the deciding argument.
In return the place is less accessible than a cemetery: no bench, no paved path, sometimes a twenty-minute walk. Worth checking if older relatives will come to visit.
A memorial forest plot is private and frequently costs more than a municipal grave. In return it covers a considerably longer period — per year, the gap often narrows.
Beyond approved forests, scattering in a meadow or in the mountains remains widely permitted in Switzerland, with the landowner's consent.
The difference is whether there is a place to return to: a memorial forest gives one, free scattering does not. That decision is best taken calmly, not in the week of the death.
Questions & answers
Yes, always. Burying a coffin in open countryside is not permitted in Switzerland; only ashes may be laid to rest there.
Yes, and many people do. The plot can be acquired beforehand and recorded in a funeral directive.
Yes, most memorial forests offer family trees holding several urns.
Yes, and it is common: a short ceremony at the foot of the tree, in a small circle. We arrange it with the memorial forest.