Natural Burial Grounds Feasibility Study – Growing for Nature
The national conservation charity for burial grounds will engage with a professional advisor to develop investment potential in the specific area of developing, operating and showcasing an exemplar Natural Burial Ground in partnership with local landowners. An assisting advisor will provide a strategic route map to completion. The investment model will achieve high biodiversity gains within a commercial operation, including the development of rich meadow, habitat creation, tree and hedge planting, ponds, streams and ditches, habitat connectivity and will reverse local species loss.
The feasibility study will help to address three particular environmental themes; climate change; thriving plants and wildlife; and beauty, heritage and engagement. There green burial ground will be managed to high environmental standards with carbon sequestration as an aim. This will be achieved through developing a diverse, healthy sward leading to healthy soil containing increased carbon. Planted trees, native shrubs and of course burial is a store of carbon. Using outstanding local churchyards as templates a flower-rich sward will be established using green hay to provide local provenance seed. Churchyards are outstanding for wildlife as they combine flowery grassland with native trees including evergreens, plus native shrubs and stonework. All these habitats and features enhance the biodiversity. These habitat mosaics will be mimicked, and the wildlife routinely monitored as the site matures. Within the project’s feasibility criteria views and topography will be included to identify an intrinsically beautiful site to be enhanced by management. Mourners and those visiting graves will experience a beautiful area of landscape. This will also be a place of learning and engagement through courses in rural skills including scything, coppicing, stone walling. Art and natural craft sessions will take place plus species identification and star gazing.
Project Aim
The production of a route map from concept to completion of the project including the construction of a feasible investment model, focusing on ways parties can invest in nature through Caring For God’s Acre projects. Development and operation of a showcase piece, an exemplar natural burial ground in partnership with local landowners to develop investment potential assisted through engagement with a professional consultant.
Funding model
A Feasibility Study will identify ways in which the projects investment model will generate sustainable income from ecosystem services. This will include the sale of natural burial plots; the sale and delivery of short courses associated with habitat creation and management and of flora and fauna identification; and of the provision of a consultancy service, effectively selling the experiences of developing and managing an exemplar natural burial ground to others wishing to undertake similar business developments throughout England. As a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, investor portfolios will include public trusts and grant making organisations but will also place a high emphasis on partnerships with the private sector which could include farm diversification opportunities. As part of the investment model this includes a consultancy service on the development of natural burial grounds, providing a full range of advice which will enable any investor to make fully informed decisions on the future of their own investment. There is strong and consistent anecdotal evidence that the use of natural burial grounds is on the increase. As pressure on traditional burial sites limit the number of burials that can take place, natural burial sites are fast becoming the preferred option, both in terms of availability and in keeping with people’s values and beliefs. In terms of generating revenue, a specialist consultant will be directed to investigate the ‘habitant bank’ model as the projects unique selling proposition to attract investment. This project will enable investors to play an active role in creating and maintaining priority habitats which will support threatened species in an AONB. These include the creation and management of hedgerows, traditional orchard, deciduous woodland and a particular focus on lowland meadow (hay meadow).
Future Investment Potential
The project will aid progression towards 25 YEP outcomes through directly contributing towards mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, thriving plants and wildlife and beauty, heritage and engagement.
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