Green Life, Death and Future
Green Burial Council Conference 2022
The Road to Building Bluestem - October 23, 2022 

A virtual presentation for the Green Burial Council's annual conference describing our journey in developing Bluestem Conservation Cemetery. The Road to Building Bluestem includes studying state and local laws, and zoning, building partnerships with faith leaders, developing alliances within the industry both locally and nationally, investing in relationships, and creating a vision, mission and core values to guide our every decision. In examining the dozen existing conservation cemeteries and many of the natural burial grounds around the country, we created a model for Bluestem grounded in durability, integrity, and sustainability. This workshop will provide attendees with the analysis we used to guide our process including decision points on business type, nonprofit structure and governance, land and site assessment, conservation strategies, community outreach challenges and opportunities, volunteer stewardship, and a host of other actions.

People's Memorial Association  
Greening Cemeteries  - June 1, 2022

The People's Memorial Association is a nonprofit organization serving the state of Washington since 1939. The only cooperative funeral home in the country, it provides its members with thought-leadership on funeral choice, funeral consumer education, and advocacy. Every year the PMA plans a week-long series on end-of-life choices for their members. Along with other leaders in conservation burial, we were invited to their Greening Cemeteries panel to share about Bluestem.
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2021 Land Trust Alliance Rally
Virtual Field Trip  - October 6, 2021

Deeply Rooted is a 30-minute video produced in collaboration with our Conservation Burial Alliance colleagues, for the conservation community's annual meeting, called Rally. This national gathering of over 1500 land trusts is held every year in October, however Covid has forced the programming online in the past 2 years. This year, the Conservation Burial Alliance was invited to present video footage as an "online field trip" from its cemeteries around the country. With gratitude to our friends and colleagues, we invite you to link here for Deeply Rooted. 

Valley Conservation Cemetery 
Project Presentation - February 24, 2021

The Valley Conservation Cemetery Project presentation offered information on the unique and tireless collaboration between partners Kestrel Land Trust and Green Burial Massachusetts, for establishing a conservation cemetery in Massachusetts' Connecticut River Valley. Over 150 interested viewers attended online! Find the video on YouTube here. 

2020 Green Burial Council Conference
Virtual Presentation - October 22, 2020

Working with Conservation Land Trusts was presented online to an eager audience of curious individuals, aspiring cemetery operators and land trust staff. Landmatters described the work of land conservation organizations and the relationships that exist between conservation burial grounds and partner land trusts. The recorded session is available on the Green Burial Council's website. Contact us for responses to the session's Q&A. And don't hesitate to reach out if we can support your land trust's efforts. 

2019 Land Trust Alliance Rally
Raleigh, North Carolina - October 18, 2019

Dying for Conservation: How Land Trusts and Conservation Burial Grounds Work was a HUGE success! We had a hot room in more ways than one, with over sixty participants attending to hear Sara Brink from The Wilderness Center describe the philosophy, ownership and operational structure for Foxfield Preserve and Kieran Roe from Conserving Carolina explain how his land trust entered into relationship with Carolina Memorial Sanctuary and holds its conservation easement. Thanks to all of you who stopped by our table to learn more about how conservation burial can be part of your land trust's next project. More questions? We're here to help. 

2018 Introducing Conservation Burial   
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - October 12, 2018

Dying for Conservation: Introducing Land Trusts to Conservation Burial  Thirty participants joined us for a panel presentation alongside LTA's 2018 Rally in Pittsburgh. Land trust executive directors from Alachua Conservation Trust, The Wilderness Center and Conserving Carolina, shared their experiences and perspectives in partnering with conservation burial grounds: Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery in Florida, Foxfield Preserve in Ohio and Carolina Memorial Sanctuary in North Carolina.   

Rally Photo Gallery

Dying for Conservation Survey Results Rally 2019

Over 50% of the participants we surveyed PRIOR to attending the workshop said:
  • 66% are already thinking about CB
  • 66% have been approached by someone outside their org
  • 60% have identified an existing or desired piece of land for CB
  • 2/3 don't know whether CB exists in their area
  • 88% are positive about CB depending on conditions
 
Priorities for land trusts are:
  • Working with partners 
  • Mission fit 
  • Revenue potential 
 
Beliefs and values:
56% believe conservation burial meets specific conservation objectives
53% believe it can generate revenue for the organization
47% believe it meets community benefit objectives
84% would hold a conservation easement 
78% would own land if someone else was managing burial ground
We created an assessment tool to guide your decision making about a conservation burial project. Contact us for a complimentary 30 minute phone consultation and link to the tool.
Top photo: Credit Mark Johnson, Raleigh, North Carolina
Bottom: Foxfield Preserve, Wilmot, Ohio