our goal, mission, & progress
for The burial forest
our goal
Our goal is to be a certified Conservation Burial Ground. This involves guaranteeing the perpetual conservation of the land via an easement or similarly binding and irrevocable agreement with a local land conservancy organization.
There is still so much in the world worth fighting for….it is not too late to turn things around, if we all do our part.
- Dr. Jane Goodall
our mission
green Burial
To establish Michigan’s first conservation burial grounds, which is essentially a nature preserve supported by green burials. It will provide a simple environmentally positive interment option in West Michigan for those wishing for a beautiful legacy and a sustainable resting place.
Nature Preserve
To provide a peaceful, thriving nature preserve full of native plants and wildlife for public enjoyment and leisure.
Walkable trails through the property will be open from dawn to dusk for public enjoyment. Over time, the goal is to eradicate invasive species and promote the flourishing of native species appropriate to the local ecosystem.
Resources and Advocacy
To provide educational opportunities, offer resources to the community, and engage in advocacy work around green burial, conservation, and sustainability.
We aim to strengthen our community by advocating for a healthier collective approach to the death and grief processes all people face.
our progress
The Burial Forest is not yet approved or open for burials. Our case is before the Michigan Court of Appeals, and we are waiting for oral argument to be scheduled. We remain committed to conserving the forest and pursuing the possibility of conservation burial here.
During the summer of 2023, Brooks Township adopted an ordinance banning all cemeteries in the township. Read more about the ordinance here.
On January 11, 2024, the Institute for Justice (IJ) filed a lawsuit on our behalf challenging the cemetery ban. We are fighting for our right to use private property and create a livelihood for our family in a way that does not harm the public. Watch the video below, made by IJ, to learn more.
We won our challenge to the cemetery ban in the trial court. The township appealed.
Briefing was completed in June 2025. As of October 2026, oral argument has not yet been scheduled. Our attorneys at IJ continue to monitor the case and report no new setbacks, but the scheduling delay continues.
The township has also adopted new cemetery regulations. Although these no longer prohibit cemeteries outright, their requirements make establishing one extraordinarily difficult—and perhaps impossible—anywhere in the township.
In 2022, MI Burial purchased 20 acres of oak-pine forest near Newaygo, Michigan, about 50 minutes north of downtown Grand Rapids.
According to the health department, the property is suitable for use as a cemetery.
In early 2022, we presented our intentions for the property to Brooks Township. The township required us to obtain a written agreement with a land conservancy before it would consider a proposal—a process that took many months. We found a land conservancy willing to hold a conservation easement on the property.
Botanical surveys have documented more than 200 plant species on the property, including approximately 185 native species, strengthening our understanding of the forest’s conservation value.
People continue to join our informal waitlist to express interest in purchasing burial rights if the Burial Forest opens. Joining does not reserve a plot or require any payment.
We continue to give informational talks about green burial to organizations and community groups.
We are planning a small discussion with people close to the project, followed by an online town hall for anyone interested, to explore what might come next. We will share details as those plans take shape.
next steps
We have had a major setback, but we are determined to open a conservation burial grounds in West Michigan and are so grateful for the Institute for Justice and their support.
Likewise, your enthusiasm and support for the work we are doing has continued motivating us through the hurdles we have faced. We know without a doubt that you all want to see a green burial forest in this area, and we couldn’t be more grateful for that assurance.
We will continue this important work, because we believe in it and we know you are counting us.
