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Setting up a woodland burial ground

Adapted extracts from documents sent to the Natural Death Centre.

Tania Thornley visited many woodland burial grounds whilst preparing an ecological and business plan for her Return to Earth Burials (for which she hopes to find a site near Tavistock in Devon). Of all the green burial grounds she visited, the one she liked best was Saddleworth, which she describes as follows:

Saddleworth nature reserve burial ground

I was very taken with this site because it is already a well designed, quite wild cemetery, and the woodland burial areas are in the long grass around the wild copse areas. These wild areas are not forgotten corners, but an integral part of the design of the cemetery which have now been put to extra use.

'Burials are in the long grass around the wild copse areas with lovely views for miles'

Burials effectively took place in the long grass, which made a pleasant change. The grass is only cut directly around the grave and a small path to the grave just before the funeral to allow access.

The cemetery is situated at the top of a gently sloping hill with lovely views for miles.

I felt that this cemetery really provided a green alternative, with understanding and care.

Saddleworth nature reserve burial ground, Saddleworth Cemetery, Upper Mill, Saddleworth (run by Dave Holland and colleagues, Saddleworth Parish Council, Civic Hall, Lee Street, Upper Mill, Oldham OLE 6AE, tel 01457 876665).

In the ecological and business plan for her planned burial ground, Thornley makes several useful points, gathered from others on her journeys:

Weed reduction

I do not feel that a fake grass covering for the mound of earth (before the grave is filled) will be in keeping with my site and I will try other ideas such as a covering of greenery from the field.

'To reduce the couch grass and other invasive weeds one should mix the topsoil and subsoil'

In order to reduce the couch grass and other invasive weeds on the back-filled grave, while encouraging the wild flowers and herbs, I was given the tip that one should mix the topsoil and subsoil.

Double graves

Market research suggests individuals often wish to be buried next to their loved ones, and this can be a problem for a woodland burial site for two main reasons. Firstly, the excavation of a grave next to one that has been filled (up to 40 years previously) could disturb the tree roots of neighbouring trees; and secondly, as the area will by then be a wildlife woodland, access through the undergrowth could be difficult.

On my site, double burials will not be permitted on top of each other, but double burials could be acceptable if a separate area were provided with a slightly different management regime - for instance, a native shrub (guilder rose, dog rose, spindle tree or honeysuckle) could be planted on the first internment and a long-life tree only on the second internment.

Agricultural or business?

Will the woodland burial site be rated under agriculture (in which case no rates are payable) or business? There seem to be no set rules applying to woodland burial grounds, and the Regional Rates Valuation Officer will not come up with an answer until the site is up and running. Once a burial has taken place the grave area becomes woodland; and before this it is grazed or cut for hay. Because none of the land therefore lends itself to being a definite business (except the car park area) it has been implied that I will be rated on the land that looks like a business - ie areas with paths, etc.

Tania Thornley, Return to Earth Burials, 23 Bannawell Street, Tavistock, Devon PL19 ODJ.

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