Stewards of the Land
The legacy of this sanctuary land is as unceded Abenaki territory, now home to the Elnu Abenaki.
Land stewardship today is guided by the current forest management plan that supports forest glens and the health, growth and propagation of indigenous specimen trees and younger trees for the future. The terrain is wooded and gently sloping upwards from the grassy, lightly graveled parking area for up to two dozen cars. Footpaths, accessible trails and access for a light excavation vehicle for digging plots will balance existing tree falls, thickets and brush cover to support wildlife habitat and ongoing soil enrichment. Finely crushed stone may be used to support wheelchair, walker and stroller access to trails.
Higher Ground uses conservation burial best practice to support the conserved ecosystem and contribute to the permanent protection of the natural environment. The land it occupies and stewards retains its natural identity in welcoming people who come to mourn, contemplate, or participate in responsible recreational activities. Sound ecological land management practices promote biodiversity and minimize the impact of land use.
Guided Tours
For a guided tour of Higher Ground, contact Michael or Fred to show you the burial ground and possible grave spaces, and take you further into the trail system to introduce you to the features and the feel of the land.
Land stewardship today is guided by the current forest management plan that supports forest glens and the health, growth and propagation of indigenous specimen trees and younger trees for the future. The terrain is wooded and gently sloping upwards from the grassy, lightly graveled parking area for up to two dozen cars. Footpaths, accessible trails and access for a light excavation vehicle for digging plots will balance existing tree falls, thickets and brush cover to support wildlife habitat and ongoing soil enrichment. Finely crushed stone may be used to support wheelchair, walker and stroller access to trails.
Higher Ground uses conservation burial best practice to support the conserved ecosystem and contribute to the permanent protection of the natural environment. The land it occupies and stewards retains its natural identity in welcoming people who come to mourn, contemplate, or participate in responsible recreational activities. Sound ecological land management practices promote biodiversity and minimize the impact of land use.
Guided Tours
For a guided tour of Higher Ground, contact Michael or Fred to show you the burial ground and possible grave spaces, and take you further into the trail system to introduce you to the features and the feel of the land.
Features of the Land
Canopy and Species
A number of mature white oak, ash, yellow birch, black birch, other hardwoods and conifers are present in the area. We give high priority to protecting species that have been overharvested in the past (especially spruce and white oak) and maintaining a healthy mix of high, medium and low canopy, managing understory regeneration and overpopulation of certain sapling species (beech, striped maple).
Terrain
Proposed configuration of the 5-acre site follows the topography of the land so burial sites are on relatively flat terrain, or terraced sections in a few cases. Location of the natural burial sites comply with the 150’ setback requirement from one seasonal stream along the northern boundary. Areas of ‘pillows and cradles’—mounds and troughs caused by uprooting of trees some dating back hundreds of years—indicate that a significant portion of this terrain was not leveled by sheep farming in the mid-1800’s. This accounts for the presence of notable healthy yellow birch that are observed by experts to be 200+ years old.
Soil Composition
Test holes 36 - 42” deep in over 100 locations reveal consistent soil conditions with a top layer of organic matter and sandy loam up to 10”–12”, then increasingly sandy layers with clay down to 36”. These observations indicate good drainage conditions, which make existing soils in those sites suitable for conservation burial and the oxygen exchange necessary for efficient and ecologically sound decomposition of human remains.
Weather and Seasonal Events
Since the vast majority of disruptive Vermont weather events come in from the west, the lay of the land protects the site. One gully indicates where Spring runoff may occur, from which there's a 150’ setback to restrict burial plots from any area that might be construed to carry surface water leading to “a permitted potable water supply” [18 V.S.A. § 5319].
A number of mature white oak, ash, yellow birch, black birch, other hardwoods and conifers are present in the area. We give high priority to protecting species that have been overharvested in the past (especially spruce and white oak) and maintaining a healthy mix of high, medium and low canopy, managing understory regeneration and overpopulation of certain sapling species (beech, striped maple).
Terrain
Proposed configuration of the 5-acre site follows the topography of the land so burial sites are on relatively flat terrain, or terraced sections in a few cases. Location of the natural burial sites comply with the 150’ setback requirement from one seasonal stream along the northern boundary. Areas of ‘pillows and cradles’—mounds and troughs caused by uprooting of trees some dating back hundreds of years—indicate that a significant portion of this terrain was not leveled by sheep farming in the mid-1800’s. This accounts for the presence of notable healthy yellow birch that are observed by experts to be 200+ years old.
Soil Composition
Test holes 36 - 42” deep in over 100 locations reveal consistent soil conditions with a top layer of organic matter and sandy loam up to 10”–12”, then increasingly sandy layers with clay down to 36”. These observations indicate good drainage conditions, which make existing soils in those sites suitable for conservation burial and the oxygen exchange necessary for efficient and ecologically sound decomposition of human remains.
Weather and Seasonal Events
Since the vast majority of disruptive Vermont weather events come in from the west, the lay of the land protects the site. One gully indicates where Spring runoff may occur, from which there's a 150’ setback to restrict burial plots from any area that might be construed to carry surface water leading to “a permitted potable water supply” [18 V.S.A. § 5319].
Photo credit: www.geneparulisphotography.com
“The healing legacy of this land is breathtaking, brought to new heights now with Higher Ground.”
—Sue Butler, Harvard Divinity School, Visiting Scholar on Climate & Morality