Death by Rewilding: The Appalachian Mountains' Darkest Hour

Thanks to Billy and Kimberley Campbell

Resurrecting Wilderness: Death in the Appalachian Mountains

In the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains, a subtle transformation in final rites is taking place. Ramsey Creek Preserve Near Westminster, South Carolina, the departed do not lie beneath lines of chilly stone markers, but instead rest under rolling fields and ancient oak trees, their essence intertwined with nature’s landscape. Reasons to be Cheerful says.

The initial person Billy Campbell interred on his property was the lifeless infant of acquaintances. Subsequently, a coworker who perished abruptly in an auto collision reinforced for him the appropriateness of what he had done, as Campbell shares.

Explaining his objective, he states, "Once the first person is laid to rest beneath the earth, it alters the essence of the terrain. The primary focus has always been about linking individuals with the ground they stand on."

In 1996, Campbell along with his spouse Kimberley purchased an unkempt 33-acre farm aiming to restore and conserve it. This innovative pair introduced the idea of conservation burials at this location, igniting a rising trend that endeavors to rejuvenate the earth via quite an unconventional method: mortality.

In contrast to typical graveyards, Ramsey Creek Preserve features lush woodlands populated by oak, birch, and maple trees instead of well-groomed lawns. The Campbells removed invasive species like kudzu and encouraged the growth of indigenous flora, allowing nature to reclaim the area. During springtime, the hills come alive with shades of pink from blooming sugar maples and mountain laurels. Visitors might spot bobcats, foxes, deer, and even a black bear wandering through this natural sanctuary.

At the Campbells' burial site, deceased individuals or their remains are interred without undergoing embalming or using additional chemical treatments. Instead, they use easily degradable materials such as simple shrouds, quilts, or wooden boxes for internment. All digging of the graves is done manually. According to Kimberley Campbell, “We encourage family members to be involved as deeply as possible.” She adds, “Engaging physically can serve as an effective diversion during times of stress and mourning.” Whenever feasible, the Campbells salvage delicate flora from the area and rehabilitate the environment post-burial, ensuring just a modest elevation that will ultimately blend with surrounding greenery. Each final resting place is marked discreetly by a smooth, unadorned natural basalt slab, which harmonizes effortlessly within nature’s backdrop.

In 2006, Ramsey Creek Preserve was the first to receive certification. conservation burial Burial grounds in the U.S., and possibly worldwide, have functioned as test sites for developing standards of conservation burials. These include guidelines for environmentally friendly internments and habitat rejuvenation. The Campbells take issue with phrases like "natural" or "green" burial since these lack clear definitions and can obscure commercial exploitation masquerading as eco-friendly initiatives. Additionally, they reject concepts such as human composting or biodegradable shrouds, labeling them as gimmicky. Instead, they argue that substantial resources allocated to these notions should rather go towards safeguarding land areas. According to Billy Campbell, "the earth itself serves as the burial garment." For him, true conservation burials must serve an elevated objective aimed at conserving nature significantly. He describes this process metaphorically: "It’s about performing CPR on our lands—conserving, preserving, restoring.”

He stands as the sole practicing physician in the countryside around Westminster and oversees a home hospice program. His passion for natural burials stems from an early influence; one of his teachers suggested being laid to rest in a simple shroud behind their property, with a sapling growing above them. This notion was reinforced after reading Jessica Mitford’s acclaimed book “The American Way of Death,” which highlighted the excessive use of chemicals and commercialization within the funeral sector. Losing his own father underscored this issue personally. Reflecting on it, Campbell notes, "My dad rests in a picturesque spot, yet it's at a churchyard covered in pea gravel—nothing inherently wrong with that choice. However, I lean toward a simpler, nature-oriented approach akin to how my ancestors were interred."

Cremations and burials at Ramsey Creek range from $3,000 to $4,000, which is significantly cheaper compared to traditional burial costs. Part of the revenue generated goes toward maintaining the site’s natural environment. The Campbells handed over the property easement to Upstate Forever, a non-profit conservation organization, guaranteeing its safeguarding forevermore—“Even if Kimberley and I were somehow still around,” Billy Campbell jests. After being established, the protected area expanded beyond twice its original size to encompass 78 acres capable of accommodating up to 4,200 remains. “It spans generations; this project extends far into the future,” explains Billy Campbell. He adds that they likely will not complete it during their lifetimes.

At first, the residents were skeptical, as gossip spread claiming that corpses were being discarded into the creek. "Everybody believed we were contaminating the water source," Kimberley recounts with a frustrated chuckle.

Gradually, the neighborhood began to appreciate the environmental and spiritual importance of the reserve. As Billy puts it, "This place isn't merely a burial ground." Instead, it serves as a haven for all who are alive along with those who have passed away.

Ramsey Creek currently draws visitors interested in having picnics, going on hikes, and observing rare indigenous flora such as threatened species of coneflowers, orchids, and trilliums. The Campbells rescued an old 100-year-chapel from a neighboring town, relocated it to Ramsey Creek via flatbed truck, and revitalized it with assistance from the local community. This chapel now serves as a venue for weddings, christenings, environmental educational sessions, and gatherings organized by the County Historical Society.

Those who find themselves at Ramsey Creek come from all walks of life. From evangelicals to atheists, environmentalists to traditionalists, this conservation area has become their final destination. While some wish to uphold the site’s eco-friendly ethos, others merely value its peaceful atmosphere or cost-effectiveness. “At last, an oasis where both rednecks and hippies can coexist,” remarks Billy Campbell with humor. The sanctuary also encompasses sections for Jews and Hindus seeking burials.

Campbell remembers, "One of the earliest buyers of a plot was an extreme conservative and a Vietnam veteran who would certainly not donate anything to the Nature Conservancy." When Campbell expressed his surprise, the man replied, "'I adore forests; it’s people like you—environmental activists—that I can’t stand.'"

What started as a trial in South Carolina has now ignited a movement. 60 percent of Americans indicate their interest in eco-friendly burial choices.

Memorial Ecosystems, the company founded by the Campbells, guides those interested in setting up conservation burial sites. Initially, individuals journeyed all the way from California to inter their deceased at Ramsey Creek. Currently, the Campbells can steer them towards alternative locations. Conservation Burial Alliance , which includes over a dozen conservation burial locations throughout the nation, such as Honey Creek Woodlands In Atlanta, which lies within a 2,200-acre forest on the site of a monastery. Various cemeteries across the country have set aside sections with eco-friendly alternatives: Nationwide, 430 cemeteries Currently provide eco-friendly burials, which marks almost a fourfold rise since 2015.

As more conservation burial grounds emerge, this trend keeps pushing against the funeral sector’s ecological impact and its separation from discussions about mortality. The Campbells have an ambitious plan: they aim to rehabilitate and return one million acres of land back to nature via conservation burials.

Billy Campbell states, 'What we’re implementing isn’t novel; rather, it’s an approach that has proven effective over millennia,' he explains. ‘We’ve forgotten how to tend to our deceased individuals. This responsibility was handed off elsewhere. By relinquishing this duty, we’ve grown alienated from the concept of mortality.’

Traditionally, families and communities took charge of their deceased members. Over time, as societies advanced, handling deaths turned into a commercial activity managed by experts. The Campbells are advocating for families to resume their part in managing end-of-life matters.

At Ramsey Creek, these lessons are being reclaimed, and as a result, death is undergoing a resurgence—one funeral at a time.

This story was produced by Reasons to be Cheerful and examined and disseminated by The News Pulse.