This property is being considered as a possible site for a future conservation burial ground. Photo by John Gussman.
Creating a conservation burial program that offers local natural burial options, while also supporting land conservation and restoration, is something the Land Trust has been focused on for a number of years.
In 2021, after investigating such programs and gauging local interest, the Land Trust’s Board of Directors granted approval to move forward in creating such a program. In late 2022, the Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds LLC (OWBG), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Land Trust, was formed with its own Board of Managers to focus on building and managing the program, which will eventually offer two natural burial options — a conservation burial ground and a memorial forest.
Since then, significant progress has been made, and we’re excited to share updates on our work and future plans.
A key component of this project is identifying the right property — one that’s legally zoned to accommodate cemetery use (in Jefferson County, only Rural Residential properties qualify), one that’s suitable for conservation burial activities, and one that will allow us to restore and care for land that has been environmentally impacted by previous uses. Over the past three years, multiple sites have been considered and vetted, but for various reasons, none have been found suitable.
Another view of the property that’s being considered as a possible site for a future conservation burial ground. Photo by John Gussman.
In 2024, the OWBG Board of Managers, in collaboration with Land Trust staff, identified a site that meets both the ecological and practical needs of a conservation burial ground. The property is a 36-acre parcel in north-central Marrowstone Island with a history that makes it particularly well-suited for restoration. Originally forested until the mid-1990s, it was converted into a private golf course, which operated briefly until the early 2000s.
After the course closed, a Marrowstone resident purchased the land with the goal of protecting it from future development and has since generously allowed the community to use it for recreation. Recognizing the potential of the land to provide habitat values and other public benefits over time, she worked with the Land Trust to establish a permanent conservation easement on the property, reducing the number of allowable development sites down to only one for the entire 36 acres.
However, long-term stewardship of protected land requires both resources and ongoing commitment. After several years, the owner found the increasing costs of maintenance and invasive species management challenging. A few years ago, seeking sustainable alternatives, she approached the Land Trust for help identifying the next owner who could continue her vision of preserved natural habitat. In the intervening years, the Land Trust explored several options for future use including an outdoor education campus and operation as a preserve, but none proved feasible due to the considerable expense involved in first acquiring and then caring for the land forever.
In the late summer of 2024, the Land Trust proposed conservation burial as a solution: it would provide a natural green burial option for the community, generate funding for restoration and upkeep of the property, and support reforestation — while also maintaining community access to this well-loved place for walking and birding.
Sunlight filtering through maple leaves on a Land Trust preserve.
In the fall of 2024, the Land Trust entered into an intent-to-sell agreement with the owner. We’re now in a due diligence phase to determine the feasibility of this site to operate as a permanent conservation burial ground. In the coming months, geo-hydrologists, and wildlife biologists will conduct studies to evaluate the site’s suitability and to ensure it supports both ecological integrity and community considerations.
We also applied to the county for a conditional use permit, and the county may decide to hold a public hearing and/or request further studies to aid in their determination. We’re committed to a transparent and open community engagement process and hope that by sharing more about the conservation burial endeavor — including its ecological and community benefits — we can foster a greater appreciation for how this approach supports land, wildlife, and people alike.
In mid-December we contacted neighbors adjacent to the property about our proposed use plans, and in mid-January, Director of Stewardship and Resilience Erik Kingfisher shared an informational presentation with members of the Marrowstone Island Community Association; at that meeting, we received multiple questions relating to traffic, groundwater, property values, access, and more. These questions will guide the studies we conduct in our due-diligence period, aid in our assessment of the site’s suitability, and help us address community concerns.
We invite you to explore our Conservation Burial Q&A, which addresses common questions about this burial practice. You’ll also find site-specific information about the Marrowstone Island property here.
If you’d like to stay in the loop, please join our conservation burial emailing list by filling out the form at the bottom of this website page. We’ll continue to share updates as the project develops.
