Green Burial

A Dignified Return to Mother Nature

Green, or natural burial is not a new idea. It is a return to the way humans have laid their loved

ones to rest for millennia. No embalming. No elaborate metal caskets. No concrete vaults.

In the modern age, green burial simply restores the ancestral practice of returning to the earth in a

way that honors both the individual and the ecosystem that sustained them throughout life.

Your Loved One

Embalming is not performed for green burial, nor is it required by law. Choosing not to embalm

does not prevent close family members from spending time with their loved one before burial.

While embalming has long been used to preserve the body for extended viewing, families can

still gather meaningfully and respectfully without it.

Washing, dressing, and placing the body in a casket or shroud are time‐honored traditions that

families may participate in. These moments often become deeply healing parts of the grieving

process, allowing loved ones to care for the deceased in a gentle, personal way.

The Vessel

Caskets:

Simple caskets crafted from local wood species, hand‐woven willow, or other biodegradable

materials such as mushroom‐based composites or hemp.

Shrouds:

Natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, wool, or silk are used to wrap the body before burial. A

shroud conforms to the body while maintaining dignity and solemnity. Because they require

fewer resources, shrouds are often the most environmentally sustainable option.

Urns:

Green burial is still possible for those who choose cremation. Biodegradable urns exist, though

cremated remains themselves are not biodegradable. Our partner, Memorial Ecosystems at

Ramsey Creek Preserve, works with families to bury cremated remains using a special kit from

Let Your Love Grow. The kit includes a biodegradable container and a proprietary blend that

helps return the remains to the soil - no additional urn required.

The Environment

Natural decomposition is a vital part of the life cycle and is completely safe for the environment.

Green burial cemeteries support this process in different ways:

Hybrid Cemetery

A conventional cemetery with a designated green burial section that meets all green burial

criteria.

Natural Cemetery

Land specifically designed and maintained for green burial. These cemeteries are carefully

surveyed and cultivated to support diverse, healthy flora and fauna.

Conservation Cemetery

Larger properties that meet all green burial standards while prioritizing long‐term ecological

protection. Conservation cemeteries ensure that the land remains preserved and that those

buried there are honored far into the future.

Memorial Ecosystems at Ramsey Creek Preserve

Founded in 1996 by Dr. Billy and Kimberly Campbell, Ramsey Creek Preserve was created to

offer a less expensive yet deeply meaningful alternative to conventional burial. Located right here in

Oconee County, it is the first green burial cemetery in the United States and very likely the first

conservation burial ground in the world. Dr. Campbell’s work at Ramsey Creek has shaped the standards for modern green and

conservation burial. The preserve spans 78 acres, with 75 dedicated to burial.

More than a cemetery, it is a thriving Appalachian oasis with a chapel, waterfall, forest trails, and rare native

plant species found nowhere else.

To learn more about Green Burial and Ramsey Creek Preserve click here: Memorial Ecosystems