Minnesota's First 'Memorial Forest' Opens This Week

A new final resting place option for loved ones has made its way to Minnesota. Minnesota's very first conservation memorial forest has opened in Scandia.

The company Better Place Forests has been working to restore and clean up areas of the St. Croix Valley Forest and the new memorial forest is ready to open July 14th. Instead of being laid to rest in a cemetery, this forest gives people a more eco-friendly and scenic option to return to the earth:

When it’s time, your ashes are mixed with soil and returned to the base of your tree during a personalized memorial ceremony. Give your loved ones a beautiful place to remember you and help protect a forest for future generations.

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After your ashes are placed beneath the tree you picked out, wildflower seeds are scattered to symbolize the forest's continuous regrowth. Custom memorial markers are also available similar to the ones used by the US Geological Survey.

Reservations for memorial trees range in price from $5,900 - $13,400 depending on how many ceremonies and where the tree is located at. The average cost of a funeral with cremation is $6,000 to $7,000, putting this new option in the same cost bracket. Plus for every package purchased, Impact Trees are planted in partnership with the non-profit One Tree Planted to help reforest America so you are doing good for the earth.

Find out more on this unique new offering in our state on their website.

The 25 Best Places to Live in Minnesota

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Minnesota using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.