Our Vision

We are part of nature.

The vision at the core of all that The Eternal Forest Trust does is that people are part of nature: we are not separate. The charity aims to re-connect people with their natural environment and through that connection, to help heal the pain of loss.

All life is cyclic.

In nature there is no waste, only re-use. Everything in the natural world is part of a continuous cycle of life and death, reproduction and transformation. In death our bodies become part of different lifeforms; when we have a natural burial in a wood or a wildflower meadow, we become literally part of that landscape, feeding the trees and other plants through networks of fungi and bacteria. The Eternal Forest Trust seeks to ease that transition, both for mourners and for the environment by creating beautiful and peaceful places where all nature is valued. For many people, spending time in the wood is soothing and calming. They experience the benefits of being in harmony with nature and the gentle spirit of the place can bring a sense of peace.

We care for, and respect, all life.

Woodland, wildlife and native ecosystems are inherently valuable, both for our quality of life and for all the other lifeforms that surround us. So the Eternal Forest Trust seeks to revive and re-establish native ecosystems and to share our appreciation of natural landscapes with as many people as we can, helping others to experience the benefits of being in harmony with nature.

Although the provision of natural burial is very important, the charity is about more than this; our environmental aims are to enhance biodiversity and in the long term, to create nature reserves. Since 2004 we have been restoring the wood at Boduan to its ancient form as a species-rich bluebell wood from the recently planted dark, near-monoculture of serried spruce that we originally bought. Because the wood is a burial ground – and thus protected from other forms of development – this naturalisation will continue for at least 99 years after the last person is buried there. It is, and will continue to be, a special place where the dead are at one with all living beings.

We welcome everybody at any time, not just mourners or people involved with burials. The pedestrian gate is always open (except when stormy weather could render the wood unsafe) and the paths are accessible to buggies and wheelchair users.