WA first: Proposal offering a unique burial alternative for grieving families given the green light

Funeral company Living Legacy Forest has recently received the green light to create new "sanctuaries" across the state that will home trees that are grown from the ashes of passed loved ones.

The company transforms cremated remains into trees by infusing them into young seedlings for planting.

Living Legacy Forest has secured land along Wellington Road in Worsley, thanks to a generous bequest from the Jeffreys family in 2018.

The precinct is located within the Wellington National Park and boasts a creek front, forest backdrop and is known to be a native habitat for black cockatoos and quokka.

The company's WA representatives Daniel Moore and Josie Morris said the first planting day at the site would be held on June 9 and urged families to secure their plots ahead of the launch.

"The Wellington Forrest is perfect," he said.

"Right in front of where the sites are is a running creek, which is going to sustain the trees. When we are talking to people about this, they love the idea of going and paying their respects by the side of this creek.

Mr Moore said Living Legacy Forest was also in the process of securing one site Canning and Busselton, with more detailed announcements expected in the near future.

"The next location we've identified is along the Canning River. That's the next one on the map for Western Australia and we're in talks to get two further sites in the South West region, closer towards Busselton.

"We're looking at 2020 for those ones near Busselton."

While their concept has been implemented at sites across the east coast of Australia, this is the first move the company has made to establish themselves in WA.

Read more: Legacy trees to be launched in South West to provide unique resting place

Mr Moore said the initial idea of an alternative style of burial steamed from the company's founder Warren Roberts, who lost his best friend and had identified that through taking nature walks helped his grieving.

"That connection through nature helped him move on and find clarity."

Mr Moore said many grieving families found comfort in seeing their loved one's tree grow.

"Every time they revisit, their tree is going to be getting bigger and it's going to be getting stronger," he said.

"They're still going to feel a connection through this living entity but they're going to feel comfort from letting it flourish as well."

Ms Morris said the land had environmental restrictions on it, so there was no possibility it could become a housing development in the future. 

People can also choose a species of tree that best reflects their loved ones and can personalise the plaque that will be situated at the bottom of it. Prices for a plot of forest start from $1,950.

The sanctuary is the culmination of three years of soil science.

Unlike untreated cremated remains, which were toxic to tree roots, Living Legacy Forest's patented technology transforms cremated remains into micro-nutrients to provide sustained energy to the tree for seven years - enough time for the new forest to become self-sustaining.