Forecasting the Future of Funerals
What Germany, the UK, and Sweden Can Teach Us About America’s Ash Scattering Future
If you want to glimpse the future of the American funeral market, look first to Europe. In countries like Germany, the UK, and Sweden, cremation rates already exceed 75%, and natural ash scattering isn’t a niche option—it’s the cultural default.
As American families seek more eco-friendly, meaningful, and affordable ways to say goodbye, these European traditions offer a clear blueprint for what’s next in the evolving landscape of U.S. funerals and ash scattering.
📞 Speak to a Memorial Specialist: (515) 206-4845
bonaventurememorial@gmail.com
From Friedwald Forests to American Wilderness: How Germany’s Memorial Traditions Are Shaping the Future of Ash Scattering
What Is a Friedwald?
In Germany, the Friedwald (“Peace Forest”) movement has transformed remembrance into an ecological ritual. Families select a tree in a protected woodland as a living memorial, scattering ashes among the roots so their loved one’s legacy becomes part of the forest’s life cycle.
Why Friedwalds Resonate Beyond Germany
These memorial forests are quiet, deeply symbolic, and profoundly local—values that resonate strongly with today’s environmentally conscious generation in the US. Friedwalds also offer a personal, less formal alternative to traditional cemeteries, similar to how more Americans are choosing destination ash scattering in nature rather than permanent burial plots.
Parallels in the United States
While US laws vary by state, national parks, forests, and private lands can offer settings that echo the serenity of Germany’s Peace Forests. Scenic locations—such as Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Forest, or even ocean shorelines—provide spaces where ashes can return to nature while honoring a loved one’s favorite landscapes.
Learning from Europe’s Memorial Model
Just as Friedwald has inspired a movement toward eco-conscious, nature-based farewells in Germany, the US is seeing a similar shift. With cremation now the majority choice, families are seeking meaningful, low-impact ways to scatter ashes—reflecting the same values of sustainability, beauty, and connection to place.
Looking Ahead: An International Shift in Farewell Rituals
Germany’s Peace Forests are not just a cultural tradition—they’re a glimpse of where the American funeral market may be heading. As more families in the US look for personalized and nature-centered memorials, Friedwald’s principles offer a roadmap for creating spaces of beauty, sustainability, and belonging.
📞 Speak to a Memorial Specialist: (515) 206-4845
bonaventurememorial@gmail.com
How UK Ash Scattering Traditions Mirror Emerging U.S. Trends
A Farewell Carried on the Wind
In the United Kingdom, it is common—and entirely legal—to scatter ashes almost anywhere, provided you have the landowner’s permission. From the misted fells of the Lake District to the wild coasts of Cornwall, families choose landscapes that held meaning in life to cradle them in death. The law leans toward trust and personal responsibility: protect the environment, ask before you scatter, and choose your moment with care.
In many ways, this echoes the growing shift in the U.S.—away from the permanence of headstones and toward natural memorials that return loved ones to the elements. American families are increasingly seeking ceremonies on mountaintops, forest trails, and along untamed shorelines, much like their UK counterparts.
The Universal Language of Place
Across the UK, favorite scattering sites include national trust lands, historic estates, mountain ridges, and coastal overlooks—places where beauty and memory can coexist. Water scatterings, too, are common: along riverbanks, beside lochs, and at sea, with guidance from the Environment Agency to avoid sensitive areas.
In the U.S., the same instincts play out. The names may differ—Mount Rainier instead of Snowdonia, Puget Sound instead of the Solent—but the heart of the decision is identical:
To lay someone to rest where the horizon feels infinite, the air feels pure, and the landscape seems unchanged by time.
The UK: A Glimpse into America’s Ash Scattering Future
The UK stands as a vibrant preview of the American funeral market’s next chapter. With cremation rates soaring past 75%, natural ash scattering in the UK is no longer a niche alternative—it’s woven into the cultural fabric. From windswept moorlands to tranquil seaside coves, scattering ceremonies are embraced as deeply personal, eco-friendly farewells that honor both loved ones and the land.
For the US, where cremation adoption is rapidly climbing toward 77%, the UK’s model offers valuable lessons. The emphasis on permission, protection, and purpose in scattering ash—securing consent from land stewards, respecting environmental safeguards, and choosing meaningful, often historic or wild settings—reflects the kind of responsible, heartfelt practices Americans are increasingly seeking.
Just as the UK’s scattering traditions blend reverence with regulation, the US is moving beyond conventional cemeteries toward flexible, nature-centered memorials. Iconic BONAVENTURE destinations like Yosemite, Mount Rainier, and the Puget Sound bioluminescence shorelines embody this future—offering spaces where memories flow freely with the wind, yet the land remains pristine.
Looking ahead, America’s scattering culture will echo the UK’s: deeply respectful, fully permitted, and intimately tied to place and story. It’s a future where farewell rituals reclaim nature’s rhythms and where every scattering honors both life’s beauty and the earth’s sacredness.
Why This Matters for the Future of Farewells
The striking parallels between UK and U.S. ash scattering practices reveal more than shared customs—they reflect a profound cultural shift redefining how we honor life and legacy in the 21st century.
Across both sides of the Atlantic, families are moving away from traditional memorials rooted in permanence and formality. Instead, they are choosing ephemeral beauty—fleeting moments where ashes blend seamlessly with nature’s rhythms, offering a reminder that life’s meaning is found in experience, connection, and place, not granite or marble monuments.
This shift reflects a deeper human desire: to trust the landscape itself as the living marker of a life well-lived. Whether it’s the windswept moors of the UK or the alpine meadows and ancient forests of America’s national parks, the land becomes a sacred vessel for memory, renewal, and ongoing presence.
In the UK, scattering ashes in natural settings has become both legally accessible and culturally embraced, striking a delicate balance between regulation and reverence. This model shows the U.S. what is possible when eco-conscious scattering ceremonies are permitted in protected spaces, combining environmental stewardship with heartfelt farewell rituals.
As more American families discover the healing power of scattering in places like Mount Rainier, Yellowstone, and the Puget Sound Bioluminescence, this practice will grow beyond a niche choice. It will become a mainstream, deeply meaningful alternative that honors both individual legacy and nature’s sacredness.
Ultimately, the UK’s example is a roadmap for the future of American funerals: one where intimacy, ecological responsibility, and legal clarity come together to create farewells that are as beautiful and personal as the lives they commemorate.
📞 Speak to a Memorial Specialist: (515) 206-4845
bonaventurememorial@gmail.com
Sweden’s Minimalist Farewells: Lessons for the Future of US Ash Scattering
In Sweden, the funeral tradition often strips away excess in favor of quiet authenticity. Ceremonies are simple, personal, and deeply rooted in nature. While Germany’s Friedwald (“Peace Forest”) movement offers highly regulated woodland burials, Sweden’s approach is more relaxed—ashes might be scattered in lakes, along forest paths, or in meadows without elaborate markers or prescribed rituals. Here, nature is the memorial, and the simplicity itself becomes the beauty.
This ethos is beginning to resonate strongly in the US. As urban density increases and traditional cemetery plots grow scarce and costly, Americans—especially younger generations—are seeking alternatives that are both affordable and meaningful. Just as Swedes turn to forests, lakes, and open spaces for farewells, US families are increasingly choosing destinations like Mount Rainier National Park or Olympic National Forest to release ashes in a setting that feels expansive, alive, and restorative.
Why Sweden’s Model Speaks to Americans
Sweden’s minimalist scattering tradition solves many of the challenges the US funeral market now faces:
Space limitations – Just as Swedish cities rely on nature outside urban boundaries, US families are turning to national parks, coasts, and rural landscapes when cemeteries are inaccessible or prohibitively priced.
Emotional resonance – Instead of standing by a headstone, mourners can walk along a shoreline, under tall pines, or through mountain wildflowers, letting place and memory intertwine.
Cost-effectiveness – Without the burden of casket burials, permanent plots, or elaborate services, scattering ceremonies free families to invest in experiences that feel personal and beautiful.
For Germans and others across Europe—where scattering laws are more restrictive—Sweden’s freer approach already offers inspiration. And for Americans, it points toward a future where farewells are less about fixed monuments and more about landscapes that shift and breathe with time.
In many ways, the US ash scattering movement is becoming its own “Swedish model,” offering families warm, natural, and liberating alternatives to the traditional funeral industry. Services like those offered through Bonaventure’s destination scattering ceremonies allow ashes to be returned to nature in extraordinary places—from Hawaii’s volcanic shores to the glowing waters of Puget Sound’s bioluminescence—giving both Americans and international families access to the kind of beauty Sweden has quietly practiced for decades.
What These Global Traditions Reveal About the Future of American Funerals
Together, the Friedwald forests of Germany, the thoughtful scattering practices of the UK, and Sweden’s minimalist, nature-first farewells offer a clear vision for what’s next in the United States’ funeral landscape. These deeply rooted European traditions are more than cultural curiosities—they are practical models that anticipate and illuminate the evolving values and desires of American families.
1. Higher Cremation Adoption Is Inevitable
Already at 60% today, cremation in the US is projected to rise to nearly 77% within the next generation. This shift reflects practical considerations—such as cost, urban space constraints, and environmental impact—as well as a growing desire for personalized and flexible farewells. European countries have long embraced cremation, and as Americans look abroad for guidance, they discover not only acceptance but inspiration in the beautiful, nature-based rituals that accompany it.
2. Demand for Eco-Conscious Scattering Locations Will Surge
Families want their loved ones’ legacies to harmonize with the earth, not burden it. From Germany’s sacred woodland cemeteries to Sweden’s unadorned natural scattering spots, there is a growing cultural consensus that memorials should celebrate life’s cyclical nature. Americans increasingly seek scattering destinations that prioritize ecological stewardship: alpine meadows, quiet forest clearings, protected shorelines, and migratory wildlife corridors. These places offer a living, breathing tribute that honors both person and planet.
3. Memorials Are Shifting from Stone to Soil
The era of static, carved gravestones is giving way to dynamic, evolving landscapes. Instead of a fixed plot enclosed by granite, remembrance is becoming rooted in natural settings where life continues—where trees grow, rivers flow, and wildlife roams. This living legacy creates a profound connection to place and time, offering comfort in knowing that a loved one’s memory is woven into the earth’s ongoing story. The American scattering movement, inspired by European models, is embracing this shift wholeheartedly.
4. Accessibility, Intimacy, and Personal Meaning Will Define the New Normal
Echoing European traditions, Americans crave funerals that are intimate, accessible, and deeply personal. The rise of unaccompanied scattering services, like those offered by BONAVENTURE, meets these needs by handling all logistics while allowing families to choose meaningful places—whether the glowing waters of Puget Sound, the majestic peaks of Mount Rainier, or serene meadows in the Badlands. This approach respects both busy modern lives and the desire for a healing, unhurried farewell.
The Future Is Now: A New Chapter in American Memorial Culture
For many Americans, this future is not just a forecast—it is already here. As they look to the natural beauty of their own vast landscapes and draw inspiration from centuries-old European customs, families are reclaiming the power to honor life on their own terms.
The American funeral market stands on the cusp of transformation: from rigid cemeteries and costly, impersonal burials to vibrant, eco-conscious celebrations of life deeply connected to place.
By embracing the lessons of Friedwald, UK scattering traditions, and Swedish simplicity, the US can pioneer a new chapter—where every farewell is as unique as the life it honors, and every memory is cradled gently by the earth itself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah-Marie Sherbon is a writer, mother, and a co-founder of BONAVENTURE, a destination ash scattering service devoted to helping families say goodbye in places that still feel sacred.
Her reverence for the wild was shaped over years in the national parks—kayaking through the rugged archipelago of Isle Royale, hiking beneath the emerald ballet of light in Mount Rainier’s rainforest, and breathing in the wildflower-sweetened stillness of Yellowstone’s hidden places. Today, she draws on those experiences to guide families toward tributes rooted in beauty, memory, and return—because some goodbyes deserve a view that takes your breath away.
FAMILY LEGACY IN THE NATIONAL PARKS
Bonaventure was born from generations spent walking the wild edges of this country—serving as park rangers, guides, and stewards of America’s most sacred landscapes. Together, we’ve planned ceremonies for royalty, navigated avalanches with radios slung over our shoulders, and stood beneath the northern lights waiting for the hush before dawn.
Our family has nearly a century of combined experience in the National Parks. We've climbed peaks, captained sailboats, and led thousands of guests through these extraordinary places. BONAVENTURE is our way of passing that reverence on—crafting custom tributes that honor each life with beauty, excellence, and care.
But through it all, what’s endured is story. The stories of those who came to these places to remember. To return. To let go.
We created BONAVENTURE to offer something worthy of that final chapter: a farewell not rushed or transactional, but reverent. Custom tributes crafted with intention. Ash scatterings carried out with park permission, environmental care, and deep personal respect.
We are foremost a family of storytellers. And in the story, the ending is what matters most.
For National Park Scattering: Permits & Resources
If you're considering a National Park as your scattering site, be sure to follow proper procedures. BONAVENTURE handles permits for our services, but families should be aware of:
