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Planting Memorial Trees in Memory Of a Loved One – Made Easy

Cemetery Tree

Planting trees in memory of a loved one has become very popular especially in lieu of sending flowers. It makes sense. Trees provide many economic, health and environmental benefits as well as providing a gift to the earth lasting for generations. Here at The Gifted Tree, that is what we do, plant memorial trees. Recently, we have received numerous inquiries from grieving families telling us they want trees planted in memory of their loved one and asking how they can let family and friends know that they would like to have trees planted in remembrance of the deceased. We have listened to you, our customer, and have created a program that will help you accomplish that goal. We call it our Obituary Link Program.

Obituary Link Program

Our new obituary link program provides you with a simple to use, special link to your own custom page. You can then include this link when you write the obituary for your local newspaper or in a celebration of life program informing family and friends on how they can plant memorial trees in remembrance of your loved one. We personalize this page to fit your needs.

Personalized Page With a Custom Link

This personalization allows you to let your family and friends know where you would like the trees to be planted, and where to send the tribute cards or eCards. The best part is that we will create a simple URL (website address) for you to include, making it easy for others to have the memorial tree planted. This website address is only known to you and not accessible to outsiders, only those who you want to know. It cannot be clicked through from our website, only by tyyping the unique URL set up for you. Thus, your personal information is safe and secure.

If you desire, you can provide us a photo of the deceased to include on the page along with the date of birth and death. See the sample below. We can also include any biographical information that you desire.

Sample of Info Included in Obituary Program Page

How to get started

Where To Click On The Gifted Tree's Home Page

Once you are logged onto our website, TheGiftedTree.com, mouse over the heading “Memorial Trees” located along the top of the page and click on the words Obituary Link Program, in the dropdown,  to take you to the information page. Once there, you can get all the info you need on easily creating your page. All you need to do is provide us with the name of your loved one, where you would like the trees planted and the address where to send the tributes. We will take it from there, creating the page and sending you a proof for your approval. Of course, you can call us at The Gifted tree, toll-free, 800-984-2101 and talk to a live person to answer all your questions. We will have you email us your information and requirements and, once received, we will create a mock-up proof for your approval and send it to you. At that point, feel free to make any edits or changes, it is not a problem. We will then finalize your page and make it live. The URL address will be simple, TheGiftedTree.com/{your last name}. You can then have this website address included in your newspaper’s obituary or include it in a Celebration of Life program. While the ordering process is easy for your family and friends to follow, they always have the option of calling us toll free and talk to a live person who can answer any question or take the order over the phone.

How Long Does It Take To Set Up?

The good news is that we can set your page up very quickly. Depending on when we get your information during the day, we can get you a proof for your approval that day or the next business day. So please check out our website info Obituary Link Program page or call us today to discuss and let us set up a program to plant trees in memory of your loved one.

 

Magnificent Trees

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Mental Health Trees

Women practicing yoga under a tree with mountains in the background

World Mental Health Day is Sunday, October 10, 2021. The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. Mental illness and its consequences come in many forms and has major effects on peoples’ lives worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly exacerbated the negative ramifications associated with mental illness and media attention has brought this destructive problem into better focus. While there is much written about mental health and many debates on ways to improve ones’ mental health, it is pretty universally accepted that trees have a positive impact on ones’ mental health and being around trees is good for our mental health and social well-being.

I touched upon the benefits of trees during the global pandemic in a prior blog and that trees can help provide a stress relief during these uncertain times. But the benefits of the forests was well known even before COVID-19 was part of our everyday lexicon.  The Japanese even coined a term for it: shinrin-yoku. It means taking in the forest atmosphere or “forest bathing,” and the Japanese ministry encourages people to visit forests to relieve stress and improve health. Further research in the field has identified not only the well-known benefits of trees – producing the oxygen we breathe and sequestering carbon dioxide to help negate the affects of climate change – but many health benefits as well.

Trees Improve Health in Urban Areas

Being subjected to noise, pollution, and overcrowding in urban areas, individuals in cities suffer from higher rates of almost every mental health problem as compared to those who live in the country. Frederick Olmsted, who designed New York’s Central Park, and is considered the grand-master of landscape architecture, understood the importance of trees in designing his parks around the country. While open green space has value, it is the presence of trees, and its canopy cover, that really provides a stress relief for city dwellers. Trees, as he reflects, are simple and natural but “touch us so quietly that we are hardly conscious of them.” Bird's Eye view of Central Park New York City

Trees Help Reduce Stress

Spending time around trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. While it is always beneficial to participate in active exercise, simply sitting and looking at trees has shown to reduce blood pressure as well as the stress-related hormones. Even those with a “green” view from a hospital recovery room following surgery recover faster, have shorter postoperative stays, take fewer painkillers, and have slightly fewer postsurgical complications compared to those who did not have a similar view or no view at all.

Other Ways Trees Make Us Healthier

Exposure to trees boosts our immune system which helps protect us as we fight off disease. Spending time in nature also helps us focus, stay calmer and be more patient in anxiety-producing situations. Even in children, studies show that young ones who spend time in natural outdoor environments have a reduction in attention fatigue, and those diagnosed with ADHD show a reduction in related symptoms. Finally, exposure to tree and forests helps improve sleep and leads to increased energy levels.

Even as awareness of mental health becomes more prevalent, and promoting action at an earlier stage become more common, unfortunately there are still a staggering number of lives lost to conditions associated with mental health. The Gifted Tree makes it possible to plant a tree in memory of someone whose life was lost due to mental illness. The tree planting in a U.S. National Forest or in one of 30 countries worldwide is accompanied by a beautiful, personal tribute sent to the family which will show you care and help in the grieving process. The Gifted Tree has also partnered with Hilinski’s Hope so that you can designate that the memorial tree be planted in its grove in California and Washington, and part of the proceeds is donated to this fine organization whose goal is to educate, advocate, and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness, especially in students. Read the Hilinski’s Hope story here.

Lone tree next to an empty bench by a lakeAs we participate in World Mental Health Day, challenge your beliefs and possibly rethink the way you look at mental health. Support others who are going through challenging times and engage in ways to boost your mental health by finding ways to decompress and relax. Finally, find ways to give, whether it is by planting a tree in memory of someone who was lost to mental health disease or volunteering your time to an organization that works with those suffering from the seven major mental health conditions: Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis, Eating Disorders, Depression, PTSD, and Addiction/Substance Use Disorder. Hopefully, your actions can help bring hope to the 1 in 5 Americans living with a mental health condition.

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