By Tanya McLaren, Forres Gazzette, Scottish Provincial Press
A PLANNING application is being lodged for a green burial area on the edge of the dunelands in Findhorn.The move is being taken by Jonathon Caddy, from the Findhorn Foundation, whose mother, Eileen, died last year and whose ashes are buried on woodlands in the area.
There is already a green burial site operating at Grantown-on-Spey, and there could be plans to site one in woodlands near Forres in the future.
Meantime, in an article published for the Rainbow Bridge Magazine which circulates at the foundation, Mr Caddy said having recently had to “delve into the realms of death and dealing with our bodies after death” following the death of his mother, he decided to press ahead with the green burial idea.
He said that although he had no regrets about his mother’s sending-off, he would have wished to take more of an active part in the process himself, and that a green burial carried out by the community and family might have done it even better.
He said the area would be on a half-acre site just south of the firebreak, where a lot of trees came down in storms a couple of years ago. He said it would initially be a low key proposal for people associated with the foundation.
“This would be a Community Resource for people from the foundation,” he said.
“We have been asked lots of times by people who wanted to be buried here, but we have not been able to help. So in a way it’s a natural progression.”
He said green burial would be more environmentally friendly, with no gas flames to burn and pollute, no mercury or chemicals being released into the air, and not even a wooden box if you choose a shroud or wicker container.
“I do not mean a cemetery but an area where your body can be put to consciously return to the earth,” he added.
“We think about how we live, we should think about how we die. After all we endeavour to live lightly, and a natural extension to this would be to try to return lightly to the earth on dying. ”
He said death attracted a formal process, and a “huge commercial business” has developed around this which some people might wish to avoid. He claims that green burial is a way of caringly looking after our own.
“This community has now been established long enough to merit such a resource,” he said.
“I want this to happen, so I am championing the cause.”
The site would be subject to a planning application and regulations, but Mr Caddy said that in practice it was not that difficult to comply.
Apart from general support for the idea and a suitable area where careful ground rules were created and a responsible person employed to keep a record of where people lie and a book kept with their details, it was a relatively straightforward operation.
An area in the middle of the present Pineridge Wood has already been proposed to the Duneland Ltd Board who own the area. They have shown support for the idea, and plans were also presented to the Hinterland Group, who have given support in principle.
Community council member John Willoner presented the item for discussion to the Findhorn and Kinloss Community Council.
Chairman Rick Walker and other members who were present said they had no problem in principle, but that it would be unlikely that local residents, particularly around the Findhorn area, would not have some feelings about the issue.
Local member for Finderne, Jeff Hamilton said the idea would likely attract some local controversy, and although he is prevented from commenting in case the application comes before Moray Council, he said that “in principle” green burials are a good idea and becoming more popular.
Meanwhile, Forres Community Woodlands Trust chairman Chris Piper said he supported the idea, and revealed that a similar thing might even be considered in Forres.
“Green burials is indeed a growing market, with markedly increased demand all over the place,” he said.
“There is already a natural burial ground operating near Grantown.”
He added: “The FCWT is indeed considering this, as a means of generating sustainable income, but we are at a very early stage.
“The next move for us would be to fund a feasibility study to research the possibilities, which would involve a lengthy public consultation process.”
Source - http://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/1238/Green_burial_ground_on_cards_for_Moray.html