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The Courier
5 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Why are natural burials growing in popularity in Tayside and Fife?
Natural burials are growing in popularity as people seek more environmentally conscious and personalised alternatives to traditional funerals. These green, or woodland, burials reflect a broader shift towards sustainability, a preference for simplicity, and increasingly secular attitudes. But what sets natural burials apart – and do local funeral directors believe demand will continue to rise? Just three miles north of Dundee, nestled in the rolling farmland of Angus, CairnBrae Natural Burial Ground near Kellas offers a strikingly different vision of death and remembrance. There, the landscape is not dominated by polished headstones or manicured rows, but by open skies, meadows, and native trees – a place where people return to the earth gently and naturally. Julie Anderson, who manages CairnBrae, says families are choosing natural burial not only for ecological reasons but because it offers a peaceful, personal farewell rooted in nature. Originally founded by Angus businesswoman Alma Kettles in 2018, the site has been managed by Julie since 2021 after being taken over by her family's business, Sturrock, Comb and Davidson, a Dundee-based funeral firm. CairnBrae, once a potato field, has steadily grown in popularity. 'We've sold around 380 plots so far,' Julie explains. 'People come from all over – Fife, Aberdeen, Perth. It's more than eco-consciousness. Some want a tree planted, others like the simplicity. It's a softer, more personal way to say goodbye.' Julie, 49, who grew up in Monifieth, has deep roots in the land. Her brother, Bryan Comb, still farms nearby. Formerly a barista and full-time mum of four, the former Seaview Primary and Dundee High School pupil now finds purpose helping families through difficult moments. 'We get a wide range of people,' she says. 'But many have country or farming backgrounds. They like the idea of being buried in a potato field.' Natural burials forego embalming and traditional coffins, opting instead for biodegradable options such as wicker or cardboard. At CairnBrae, burials are done at four feet rather than the six or seven typically used in council cemeteries – a depth that supports natural decomposition. Only one coffin is permitted per layer, unlike standard cemeteries which may allow up to three. David Wightman, 49, a funeral director with Sturrock, Comb and Davidson, often assists at CairnBrae. With 30 years of experience, he has witnessed a growing shift in attitudes. 'People are more aware of sustainability,' he says. 'But it's also the look – no tall headstones, just flat stones and native trees. It doesn't look like a cemetery – and people really like that.' CairnBrae's long-term plan is to evolve into a silver birch woodland, where every tree and marker tells a story. Families can plant a tree, lay a flat stone, or leave the grave unmarked. No manicured lawns, no flower arrangements, and no chemical treatments. The wildness is intentional. The site, which won Best Natural Burial Ground in Scotland in 2023, follows standards set by the Association of Natural Burial Grounds, ensuring responsible care and land stewardship. Elsewhere in Tayside, another natural site exists near Crieff at Strowan Woodland Cemetery. Dundee City Council also provides woodland burials at Birkhill Cemetery. However, Scotland still trails England, where dozens of such burial grounds already flourish. In Fife, where concerns have been raised about cemeteries nearing capacity, a family firm's proposal to create a green burial site near Elie was turned down in 2023 due to road safety concerns. An appeal was also ejected by a Holyrood Reporter. St Monans-based funeral director Alan Stephen, who submitted the application, says the idea had local support but feels they can no longer pursue it after the council's rejection. 'It's been a while since we applied for planning permission,' he says. 'Local people supported the idea, including one community council. We already look after four graves on our land that have been tended by our family for generations. 'We thought a small, personal site for family and friends to gather would meet a real need.' Alan notes that people do ask about natural burials, but distance to the nearest suitable site often discourages them. 'Having to travel puts people off,' he adds. Fife Council says it is working with the Kinghorn Community Land Association in the development of an eco-cemetery, which they hope to open later this year. When it comes to natural burials, environmental concerns are certainly part of the appeal. Traditional burials can involve embalming fluids and non-biodegradable materials, while cremation – chosen in around 70% of Scottish funerals – releases carbon emissions. Yet natural burial is often about something more: a sense of beauty, peace, and connection to the land. That was true for Blairgowrie resident David Merrie, 89, who passed away on April 9 after a short stay at Ninewells Hospital. His obituary appeared in The Courier. A lifelong adventurer and outdoorsman, David chose a natural burial at Delliefure in Speyside, part of Leedam Natural Burials in the Cairngorms National Park. His daughter, Tessa Merrie, recalls: 'He always wanted his body to return to the earth, naturally. He wasn't religious – his only church was the great outdoors. 'He wanted to be buried under a tree, in a beautiful place. And after the burial, we were to go for a walk with a rucksack and sandwiches. So we did.' She describes his final resting place as a birch wood above the River Spey, with views of the surrounding hills. 'My dad didn't necessarily choose a natural burial for environmental reasons,' she explains. 'It was about recognising that we are part of nature. Conventional cemeteries and religious ideas of the afterlife didn't feel right to him. Being buried under a tree in a natural setting – that was his way.' Back at CairnBrae, there are also practical considerations for funeral directors. With no embalming, burials tend to happen slightly sooner than with traditional funerals. Dundee isn't yet facing a burial space crisis, but the pressure is growing. Barnhill Cemetery is already full. For David Wightman, the appeal of sites like CairnBrae lies in their simplicity and availability. Cost is another factor. David notes that natural burials can be comparable in price – or even cheaper – than traditional options, especially as council fees rise. 'Dundee Council increased their prices by about 15% this year,' he says. 'We've tried to keep ours steady.' For both Julie and David, natural burials aren't a passing trend – they represent a return to something older, more grounded, and more in tune with the rhythms of the earth. 'I'd want one,' says Julie, without hesitation. David agrees. 'When I'm up at CairnBrae, opening a grave first thing in the morning and looking around – you can't help but think, this is the place to be.' To find out more about where you can get a natural burial in Dundee, Tayside and Fife, read more here.
The Courier
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Expansion plan for award-winning Angus natural burial ground
The owners of the first natural burial ground in Angus say they hope an extension to the site will secure its future for generations to come. Award-winning Cairnbrae opened in 2018 on land near Kellas Wood, a few miles north of Dundee. It was the vision of Alma Kettles, whose family had farmed the area for four generations. In 2021, Alma sold the business to independent Dundee funeral directors Sturrock, Comb and Davidson. The family firm has now submitted an application to Angus Council to extend the graveyard on land north-west of the current site. It comes as Cairnbrae was once again named Scotland's best natural burial ground. The planning application indicates the expansion would deliver capacity for almost 500 extra natural burial plots. It would also provide space for around 400 smaller ash interments. There will be a peaceful seating area in the heart of the new extension, just as there is in the original graveyard. An eco or woodland burial involves the body's natural return to the earth in a biodegradable coffin or ashes urn without the use of preservation chemicals that can pollute the ground. Cairnbrae has no headstones or monuments but loved ones are offered the opportunity to plant a tree. It is part of the vision to see the Duntrune site become a native woodland through time. Sturrock, Comb and Davidson managing director Ian Sturrock said the proposal was a long-term scheme to 'future proof' Cairnbrae. 'This would be a very gradual expansion which would happen a lot of years down the road,' he said. The popularity of natural burials is rising. Mr Sturrock said it would offer families the option of an eco farewell at a time when pressure on traditional cemeteries is increasing. Many graveyards across Tayside and Fife are at, or near, capacity. Mr Sturrock added: 'From Alma's original philosophy, we haven't changed a thing.' He said the company was delighted to have received recognition in the Natural Death Centre's People's Awards for 2025. Cairnbrae was previously selected as the UK's best natural burial ground in 2021 and Scottish region winner in 2023. The awards are based on the level of service and the impact each natural burial ground manager has made on the families of those they have helped to bury. Angus Council will determine the planning application in due course.
