Frequently Asked Questions
Download a printable PDF FAQs sheet
Overview: Foxfield Preserve is a nonprofit cemetery under the Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)(13). It is operated by The Wilderness Center (TWC), a nonprofit organization operating under Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)(3). Foxfield Preserve is more than a cemetery- it is also a nature preserve.
A nature preserve cemetery accomplishes many goals. It is an economical alternative to modern burial. It is much more environmentally friendly. Far fewer resources are consumed in a natural burial and the nature preserve returns services to the community and the world by providing wildlife habitat, a clean watershed, clean air, and walking trails. Over time Foxfield Preserve will be restored to become a beautiful nature preserve with tall forests and beautiful prairie meadows.
Foxfield Preserve’s hilltop location provides a scenic view of the Sugar Creek Valley and surrounding Amish farmland.
1. What is a nature preserve cemetery?
A nature preserve cemetery bears little resemblance to a conventional cemetery. There are no manicured lawns or rows of headstones. Foxfield Preserve is a nature preserve first. Trails will meander through forest and prairie and naturalists are restoring the site by planting native prairie grasses, wildflowers, and trees.
A typical cemetery will have over 1,000 burials per acre. At Foxfield Preserve, we will have only 100 or 200 burials per acre.
2. Is this a completely new concept?
No. This is how most people were interred throughout history. TWC is the first nonprofit conservation organization in the U.S. to establish a nature preserve cemetery.
Ramsey Creek, the first nature preserve cemetery in the U.S. was established in 1998. It is located in South Carolina and operated by Memorial Ecosystems. Nature Preserve Cemeteries are fairly common in the United Kingdom where real estate is even more limited than in the United States.
3. What type of burials will be permitted at Foxfield Preserve?
We will have only natural burials (also referred to as "green burial"). This is how most people were buried throughout the ages. The use of concrete vaults and embalming are relatively new concepts, becoming popular after the U.S. Civil War.
In a natural burial, a person is laid to rest in a biodegradable container. They are not embalmed and no vaults are used. It is the true "dust to dust" form of burial. Foxfield Preserve suggest dressing the body in natural fibers such as cotton or wool.
4. If you require biodegradable materials, what about medical prosthesis?
This is not an ecological concern. Such devices are carefully designed to be biologically inert to prevent the immune system from attacking them. It is neither practical nor environmentally necessary to remove them.
5. Is natural burial legal?
Yes.
Most of what you may think is law is either rules of individual cemeteries or common practices assumed to be legal requirements. There is no law that a vault must be used but many cemeteries this for ease of maintenance. Embalming is only required when death is due to a communicable or contagious disease ( A few states require embalming if a body is transported by common carrier or wont be buried within a certain amount of time).
6. Doesn’t embalming preserve a body for all time?
No. It only slows decomposition. The smaller the percentage of preservative used, the faster decomposition will occur.
7. Doesn’t embalming prevent disease?
Pathogens (with a few rare exceptions) depend upon living tissues. They are parasites. When the body dies, the pathogens die as well. Soil flora can deal with pathogens.
8. Can I have a viewing if the body is not embalmed?
This is something to discuss with your funeral director. Policies for viewing unembalmed remains vary from funeral home to funeral home. Refrigeration and dry ice are methods of temporary preservation that some funeral homes are wiling to allow.
9. Why would TWC get involved with a nature preserve cemetery?
TWC is creating a new kind of regional conservation organization. Initially, TWC was only a nature center. In the 1990s the Center became a land trust conserving land through conservation easements. As the 21st Century opened, TWC began to conserve wetlands through wetland mitigation. Foxfield Preserve is an activity that makes sense. The land will serve double duty. First is will be restored to provide habitat for native plants and animals. Second it will serve as a beautiful place people may choose as a final resting place. With its trail system, visitors may walk in the beauty of nature while visiting family gravesites.
10. What does TWC do with income from Foxfield Preserve?
The Center has always had a two-part mission: Education and Conservation. Income from Foxfield Preserve will be used to benefit the community by supporting that mission. Among the many things it will support are:
- Land acquisition along the Sugar Creek Biodiversity Corridor and other key tracts to increase TWC’s “island” size and connections. This will provide long-term habitat security to a wide range of native species.
- TWC endowment fund (endowment earnings are spent to advance the mission, the principal is never spent so that the Center’s mission is supported in perpetuity).
- Enhance/subsidize the educational programming for schools and families.
11. What about site restoration?
The site of Foxfield Preserve was once farmland. The Wilderness Center acquired the land with ecological restoration in mind. Part of the site will be restored in native prairie species. It will be dominated by tall grass, warm season species. In late summer, the prairie section will be spectacular as native wildflowers bloom in profusion. The prairie areas will be located higher on the hill to afford wonderful views of the countryside. The balance of Foxfield Preserve will be reforested. When the settlers arrived in this area, it was predominately forested. The site will again be forest. In 20 years, there will be “pole” timber; in 150 years, the site will be in the early stages of old growth forest. In 500 years it will be a rare treasure of ancient trees.
12. Can I help with restoration?
Yes. The Wilderness Center often uses volunteers to help with restoration projects. There will likely be work using prescribed burning on the prairie. Eliminating invasive, non-native species will be an on-going job. There will always be a certain amount of trail maintenance. Clients will also be encouraged to help with restoration through planting of native trees and wildflowers. You may be able to purchase a tree or wildflower (depending on the location) to plant near your plot.
13. How will the cemetery be maintained?
Remember, it is a nature preserve so there will be very little maintenance compated to a typical lawn-type cemetery. The trails will be maintained to provide access to the site and hazardous trees will be removed. If the site looks like a conventional cemetery, we have failed. It should look like forest and prairie.
14. Will there be funerals at The Wilderness Center?
The Wilderness Center and Foxfield Preserve are not funeral homes. Arrangements for funeral services are best handled by professionals or the family. Memorial services held on site are welcome although facilities are limited. Rooms in the Interpretive Building may be available for rent. We suggest holding a memorial in good weather conditions when everyone can see Foxfield Preserve and enjoy walking the trails.
15. Can we bury or scatter cremated remains?
Yes. Foxfield Preserve will accept cremation remains. Some parts of the preserve will be limited to interment of cremation remains. If someone wishes to simply scatter ashes, there will be a cost for locating and record keeping. Over the years many people have scattered the ashes of loved ones at TWC.
16. What type of grave marker will be permitted?
Grave markers are permitted, but optional. Markers must be a native glacial erratic, such as granite, and cannot be machined or polished. They may be engraved. The stone must lay flat on the ground, cannot extend more than 3 inches above the ground, and should not exceed 216 sq inched (12" x 18") of surface area. It is intended that markers will also serve an ecological function.
17. How deep are graves?
Our graves will be 3 ft to 3.5ft deep. This depth ensures that remains are undisturbed and return quickly to nature. Organic material such as leaves and twigs may be mixed with soil when graves are closed to facilitate site restoration.
18. How large are the plots at Foxfield Preserve?
The plots at Foxfield Preserve are much larger than those at a conventional cemetery. Our plots are 10ft x 20ft and are suitable for the interment of one casket, one casket and one cremated remains, or two cremated remains.
19. Can my family dig the grave?
No they cannot. The soil here is very clayey and hard to dig. Family and friends are welcome to close the grave if they would like. This is hard work and will take considerable time and effort.
20. Will animals disturb the gravesites?
We do not anticipate any problems with animals disturbing gravesites at Foxfield Preserve. Ramsey Creek, a nature preserve cemetery in South Carolina, has a large wild boar population and a few black bears and they have never had any problems in their 10 year history.
21. Is this against anyone’s religion?
Considering the diversity of religious beliefs that is a tough question. It does not conflict with any major religions. Natural burial is in keeping with some of the oldest burial traditions.
22. What about water pollution? Won’t bodies pollute the water or ground water?
No. Natural land produces cleaner water than urban, suburban, or agricultural areas. The forest and prairie watershed at Foxfield Preserve will provide cleaner water for the Sugar Creek watershed.
23. How will families locate gravesites at Foxfield Preserve?
Foxfield Preserve is required to keep careful records of precise burial locations. These records will be kept on paper and electronically. We will also use GPS technology to locate gravesites. Even if someone chooses to not have a memorial stone, the gravesite can be located.
24. How can I purchase a site at Foxfield Preserve?
You can contact the Foxfield Preserve Steward at jennifer@wildernesscenter.org or call 330-763-1331. From time to time information sessions will be held at The Wilderness Center. You can arrange f a visit to the site or the Steward can help you select a site if you are unable to visit. Keep an eye on this website as photos and maps will be added in the future. We STRONGLY suggest that you contact Foxfield Preserve BEFORE contacting a funeral provider.
25. What resources can help me read up on my own?
Read the book Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris it is available through libraries and bookstores.
http://www.greenburialcouncil.org/ (this is a start-up nonprofit attempting to create standards) (Foxfield Preserve is applying for certification and intends to meet or exceed their published standards.)
http://www.memorialecosystems.com/ This is the website of the first nature preserve cemetery started in the U.S. It is a wonderful place and the inspiration to everyone considering this option. The people who started Memorial Ecosystems have been supportive consultants to TWC in starting Foxfield Preserve.
http://www.foxfieldpreserve.org to learn more about the nature preserve cemetery at The Wilderness Center.