FIFERS WILL be able to opt for eco-friendly burials if sites being assessed by the local authority are deemed suitable.

Extensive tests are being carried out at woodland areas in both Kinghorn and West Wemyss to create natural burial sites where trees are planted in place of expensive headstones.

At a time when carbon footprints are at the forefront of many people’s minds, the concept of woodland cemeteries—which provide refuge for wild birds, animals, insects and native plants—is being embraced by local authorities nationwide.

Scotland currently has just seven woodland or natural burial sites but this is set to rise dramatically in the coming years.

Fife Council’s bereavement services manager Liz Murphy said, “Eco-friendly graveyards are more environmentally friendly because only biodegradable coffins are used and a tree, flowers or plants are planted to mark the dead in place of headstones.

“We have had a lot of interest from local people in these type of graveyards so the demand is definitely there and as a result of that we decided to identify possible sites.

“We are currently at the very early stages of assessing land near Kinghorn Loch which we hope to turn into part-normal, part-woodland cemetery.

“A site in West Wemyss is also currently being considered as well as another area elsewhere in Fife.”

Ms Murphy said the cost of a new development for Kinghorn has been estim-ated at around £200,000 but detailed tests need to be carried out first to comply with stringent Scottish Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

“There are various soil assessments which need to be carried out but early reports suggest they will be favourable,” she added.

As well as being more “green” than traditional graveyards, woodland cemeteries are also more economically-friendly, with prices starting at around the modest £570 mark—which includes the grave site, coffin, the grave itself and collection of the body.

Conventional funerals can cost between £1500 and £2000.

The possibility of unique cemetery grounds being identified is sure to be welcomed by Fifers after the council announced last month that, due to a severe shortage, advance sales of burial plots will be stopped at Fife cemeteries which have a projected lifespan of 10 years or less.

One such example is Bowhill Cemetery which has been full since 2001 —meaning residents have to travel to towns or villages several miles away to visit a loved one’s grave.

The concept of eco-friendly burials has received the full backing of Friends of the Earth Scotland and research by UK-wide body the Natural Death Centre has predicted that by 2010 12% of the 180,000 burials that take place each year in the UK will be in woodland or natural settings.