Woodland Cemetery

  
 

Newport (Shropshire) Town Council is aware of the concern felt by many people at the loss of trees and wild life.

The Council has recognised that burial facilities can be designed to help reverse this loss, and offer benefits to wildlife, whilst also introducing greater choice for the bereaved when planning funeral arrangements.

Woodland Burial offers a "return to nature" for those who wish to be buried amongst birds, mammals and wild flowers and providing a tree as a living memorial which will offer pleasures and benefits to future generations.

The woodland graves are located in an area of land acquired by the Council as an extension directly adjoining the cemetery. This burial area will be planned to recreate in time a traditional oak woodland scene considered one of the finest habitats for wildlife. The graves will remain forever in newly created woodland.


The woodland graves will be carefully recorded on plans, each being individually numbered and marked with a small electronic marker stake which can be surface scanned. Each grave is designed for a single interment but graves are grouped together to allow family members to be buried in close proximity.
 

  
  After the burial, the soil will be allowed to settle prior to planting. Memorial trees can be chosen from the following list which are all native species of a decorative nature and will offer instant height being approximately 2 metres high. Within each group of graves and memorial trees a small native oak whip (Quercus robur) will be planted which on maturity will form the basis of the oak woodland, the decorative trees by that time having fulfilled their natural lifespan:
Wild Cherry
Rowan
Holly
Crabapple
Whitebeam (Service Tree)
Aspen


Once the choice of memorial tree has been made, it will be planted and maintained by the Town Council. The remainder of the grave will be covered by bluebells and wild flower seeds.

Please ask The Guildhall for future details and enquiries.