The National Forest Service “Plant-a-Tree” Program

As part of our commitment to help you create a green legacy and to preserve the planet for future generations, Cremstar selects the most ecologically responsible end-of-life options available wherever we operate. To offset the carbon footprint of each cremation, Cremstar makes a donation to the National Forest Service in the name of the deceased, underwriting the planting of a seedling in their honor.

Donated funds will be used to plant trees within National Forests throughout the United States. Forests include the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests in New York, and the Apalachicola-Ocala-Osceola National Forests in Florida, among many others.

Plant-A-Tree Program was established in 1983. Its purpose is to allow individuals or groups to contribute funds directly to the Forest Service for tree planting within National Forests as a positive and personal step toward improving the environment.

The contributed funds are used exclusively for acquiring seedlings and to cover the cost of planting trees. The Forest Service will take care of the trees as part of their normal reforestation activities.

The funds the National Forest Service receives over the course of the year are pooled and distributed annually toward selected projects where the greatest reforestation need exists. While these areas cannot be predicted from one year to the next, they are usually where fires or other natural disturbances have resulted in the need to plant trees. For more information, download this helpful Guide to our National Forests.

Each of us can make an environmental difference … not only in how we live our lives, but how we leave our lives.  Don’t let your final act be an assault on the environment.  Leave a green legacy, and be remembered as a protector of the earth.

For every $10 donated, the Forest Service plants approximately 10 seedlings, generally conifers, or around $1 per tree. Cremstar donates $1 dollar per cremation to the National Forest Service to fund the planting of a seedling in honor of the deceased. Trees are not individually identified; the Service does not plant a specific tree in memory of an individual. Trees are planted for multiple use management purposes and, in some cases, may be subject to harvesting at the appropriate time. Planting takes place during the next planting season following the donation.

If you have any questions, please contact us:

• By phone: (888) 802-0999, available 24/7. (Se Habla Español.)
• By email: [email protected]
• By chat: 7AM - 10PM Eastern Time, seven days a week; click on the round red chat button on the bottom right of the screen.

If you are in immediate need because a death has already occurred, order a direct cremation now. If a death is imminent (i.e. in a matter of days or weeks), visit the Cremstar Cremation Cost Calculator for a price quote and to email yourself a customized "Order Now" link so that you're ready when the death occurs. If you are preparing for the future, visit our Planning Ahead section.