This article was previously published by The Record on January 22, 2022.
By Johanna Weidner
People can donate to have a tree planted on Cambridge property to honour a loved one.
A “Forest of Memories” will be planted on the rare Charitable Research Reserve in memory of those who spent their final days at Lisaard and Innisfree hospices.
“We feel it’s a great way to honour people’s memories as well as the environment,” James Bow, rare’s communications officer.
Native tree species will be planted in an area on the rare property in memory of the terminally ill people who stayed at the Cambridge and Kitchener hospices.
Hospice staff were often asked by family members about the possibility of planting a tree for their loved one, but there’s not enough space on their properties.
“It’s something tangible,” said Andrea Binkle, executive director of Lisaard & Innisfree Hospice. “People want to know that their loved one’s spirit is carrying on.”
Money from the one-time donation of $150 for each tree will support programs offered to hospice residents and their families, such as music therapy.
Binkle said a tree can offer comfort and hope to those who lost someone who they loved, while the Forest of Memories also increases the local tree canopy.
A trail passes nearby, where there will be signage describing the forest and the people it honours.
Rare is planning to hold two ceremonies a year on its slit barn property in Cambridge for those who donate, followed by staff and volunteers planting four native tree species: bitternut hickory, sugar maple, eastern white pine and northern red oak.
The added trees will create a corridor between existing habitats, restoring the natural flora and giving wildlife space to move and thrive.
“We’ll be linking these two areas together,” Bow said.
Leave a Reply