At Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve, we offer a unique way to honor life and legacy through our Tree Memorial burial option. Nestled within the natural woodlands of Lincoln, California, this offering allows families to memorialize their loved ones by planting or selecting a native tree at the burial site—creating a living tribute that continues to grow and give back to the earth.
What Is a Tree Memorial?
A Tree Memorial is a natural burial option that incorporates a tree as a living marker. This can accompany either cremated remains or a full-body green burial. The tree becomes a symbolic extension of life, rooted in the same soil that now holds the memory of your loved one.
Each Tree Memorial site is carefully chosen to ensure the health of the tree and the preservation of the surrounding ecosystem. Our native trees—including oaks, pines, and other region-appropriate species—are selected for their resilience, beauty, and long-term contribution to the preserve’s ecological integrity.
Cremation Tree Burial
Families choosing cremation can inter ashes near the base of a young tree. Biodegradable urns are used to safely return the ashes to the soil, supporting the growth and nourishment of the surrounding plant life. This option is ideal for those seeking a deeply symbolic and sustainable way to memorialize a loved one.
Green Burial with Tree Memorial
For full-body green burials, the tree becomes a natural companion to the burial site, offering shade, life, and a place of peaceful remembrance. The body is placed in a biodegradable casket or shroud, and the nearby tree stands as a lasting marker, honoring the cycle of life and return to nature.
Choosing Your Tree
Our stewards recommend native species suited to each site’s soil, sun, and water, most often valley oak, blue oak, or interior live oak, with native pines, California buckeye, and western redbud as companions. Families are welcome to share preferences, and we will find the best fit for the land.
Trees are placed near, rather than directly on top of, a grave so young roots can establish in stable soil while the burial site settles naturally.
Visiting and Caring for the Tree
- Our stewards water and monitor young trees while they establish
- Families may visit and sit beneath their tree any time the preserve is open
- Fresh flowers, notes, and natural stones are welcome; please avoid plastic, glass, metal, and solar lights
- Every tree and burial location is recorded so future generations can find it
Nature as a Guide
At Morgan Oaks, we view death not as an end, but as part of nature’s continuous rhythm. Tree Memorials allow families to take part in a meaningful ritual that returns life to the land and creates a sanctuary that endures for generations.
