Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park In Austin, TX Is A Must See
Looking for an eco-friendly natural burial in Austin, Texas? Green Cremation Texas has made connections with natural burial sites, like Eloise Woods in Austin.
To make the process as easy as possible for families, Green Cremation Texas has made connections with green burial sites all over the state. Each one offers a unique experience, and Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park is among the most tranquil sites that we’ve visited.
The park is located in Cedar Creek, TX just 10 miles east of Austin. It’s a peaceful retreat that has been cultivated to provide a sanctuary for the deceased and those that love them. As more people look for natural end of life services that offer an alternative to traditional cemeteries, they are gravitating toward burial sites like Eloise Woods.
From Neuroscience to Natural Burial: How Eloise Woods Came to Be
Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park wasn’t the brainchild of a funeral director or someone working in the green sector. In 2009 when Ellen MacDonald bought the property that would become a natural burial site, she was a stay-at-home mom with a doctorate in neuroscience. It was while watching Six Feet Under that Ellen first learned of natural burial. She knew it was something that would interest other Austinites like herself.
Ellen wanted to create a burial park where the deceased would become part of the existing landscape. A place where loved ones could come and feel connected to the land. A place where the memory of a person would live on.
Taking a Nature Walk to a Gravesite
Eloise Woods could easily be mistaken for one of the area’s many parks. There are trails throughout that meander through wooded areas that provide welcome shade. Wildlife is all around, giving the burial park a vibrance that isn’t found at most cemeteries.
Along with the wooded areas, there are also gardens and meadows at Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park. In total there are 9.4 acres of beautiful Texas countryside.
To preserve the integrity of the burial park, Eloise Woods doesn’t allow embalmed bodies, concrete vaults or metal caskets. However, trinkets and personal items can be included in biodegradable caskets.
Simply Beautiful Markers
Unlike some green burial parks, families can choose to mark the gravesite at Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park. However, the markers aren’t like the headstones that are in conventional cemeteries.
The markers that are allowed at Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park are simple and natural. They are flat stone blocks bearing the name of the deceased and sometimes an engraving. The memorial stones, as they are called, are made by the owner. Family members can also decorate rocks from the site to put next to the marker.
These etched stones and rocks are the only evidence that Eloise Woods is a burial site. They blend with their surroundings while still serving as a guide for future visits.
A Final Resting Place for People on All Walks of Life
Eloise Woods is an all-inclusive burial park. People of all faiths and religions can be buried here, and anyone is welcome. Even pets can be buried in the park beside their owners or at a spot called Rainbow Bridge.
There are small portions of the burial park reserved for certain groups. Sweet Angel Garden is dedicated to infants. There is also Teva Garden for people of the Jewish faith, and Soaring Hawk Garden where cremated remains can be buried or scattered. But much of the burial park is available to all.
Families are also free to have a gravesite ceremony at the time of the burial. The ceremony can be completely informal or conducted by a religious leader just as it would be done during a traditional burial. The family can choose to close the grave themselves at the commencement of the ceremony. From that day on families are always welcome to visit from sunrise to sunset.
Green Cremation Texas is among the local funeral homes that can work directly with Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park to make arrangements for burial or scattering once a cremation is complete. If you’d like to learn more about natural burial and green cremation in Texas, please give us a call anytime to discuss your options.
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Originally published at https://www.greencremationtexas.com.
