Planning & Options

1) Explore your options.

Consider your end-of-life options and whether a burial at Baldwin Hill Conservation Cemetery is right for you.

Considerations may include:

• Your personal philosophies and beliefs.

• Your relationship to local lands, cemeteries, or local organizations.

• Desires of your family and loved ones.

• The practicalities and conveniences of a burial at BHCC, such as proximity to residence, etc.

To understand the burial process used at BHCC, see Understanding Conservation Burial.

For information regarding BHCC’s mission and the cemetery grounds, see About the Cemetery.

You may also Visit the Cemetery on your own time, or contact us to request a guided tour.

2) Purchase burial rights.

If you decide burial at Baldwin Hill is right for you, we recommend you reserve rights for burial as far in advance as possible. BHCC does not sell specific plot locations but rather Interment Rights, which guarantees you a plot somewhere within the currently active zone of the cemetery (the 1.5-acre area within the universally accessible trail). The specific location of your burial is decided at or near the time of death.

For more information on how this works, and to view the price of interment rights, see Purchase Burial Rights. To review other items that have a cost and are associated with the burial and funeral process, see Other Costs.

3) Tend to legal affairs.

Consult with legal professionals as needed to organize end-of-life legal matters such as a will. BHCC cannot advise on legal matters.

Funeral Homes may be a resource for sorting out legal issues related to end-of-life planning.

4) Reach out to funeral homes and family members.

It is a good idea to reach out to a funeral home ahead of time and explain your intention to be buried at BHCC. Funeral homes must care for the body in accordance with the Green Burial Council Standards that Baldwin Hill abides by. Funeral homes may also serve as a valuable resource in the other steps listed here.

See Funeral Options for more information on working with a funeral home and home funeral options.

It may also be wise to discuss with your family and loved ones your wishes or plans to be buried a certain way, or in a certain cemetery, such as the Baldwin Hill Cemetery. This can relieve decision making stresses on family during times of grief and ensures everyone is on the same page.

5) Choose a burial container.

Burial containers used at BHCC must meet certain requirements. See the Caskets, Shrouds, & Urns section for more information.

This step also presupposes that you have decided whether you wish to be cremated or buried. For our guidance and policies on cremation, see Cremation & Other Options.

6) Choose a grave marker.

Cemetery staff keep track of plots with small unobtrusive corner pins and GPS waypoints. You or your loved ones may wish to place a commemorative/memorial grave marker within your plot.

Both native stones and approved plants (sometimes called ‘living memorials’) are allowed at BHCC. See Memorial Stones & Plantings for more information about these options, and other policies on graveside adornments.

7) Steps between death and burial.

Whether working with a funeral home or conducting a home funeral, it may be helpful (necessary in the case of a home funeral) to familiarize yourself with the steps that take place between the time of death and the burial. See the steps as they apply to home funerals here.

See the burial process for information on the burial itself.

8) Work with the Funeral Home at time of death.

Upon the death of a loved one, the funeral home will likely be your primary resource. Baldwin Hill Conservation Cemetery is not directly involved in the care of the deceased nor the burial process.

If you choose to conduct a home funeral, please understand that cemetery staff are not equipped to assist in planning or carrying out said funeral. See the Funeral Options section for more information.