Our Name
We take our name from the Mourning Cloak butterfly, a species native to Arkansas and much of North America. The metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly has often been used as a symbol of the cycle of life and death, making a butterfly a fitting symbol for our work. Named for a garment of grief and loss, the Mourning Cloak is simply patterned in dark brown, yet its wings are edged with yellow, like the hint of a new dawn. Mourning Cloak caterpillars feed on the leaves of willow trees, a species of tree whose branches are often used to weave willow basket coffins used in natural burial. For an organization dedicated to renewing our connections to the cycles of life and death and reconnecting us to our ecological home on earth, we could not imagine a better symbol for our work.
Conservation Burial
Conservation Burial is a renewal of traditional burial practices with an aim to protect and cultivate diverse natural landscapes. A form of natural burial, conservation burial is aimed at returning the body to the earth without the use of embalming or other means of preservation. Graves are dug directly into the earth without the use of a concrete vault as is typical in conventional cemeteries. The body is placed in a shroud or a casket of wood, willow, cardboard, or other material that is completely biodegradable. When cremated remains are interred, they are mixed with compost to better enhance the life of the soil.
Our Work
Inspired by the work of Conservation Burial pioneers such as Larkspur Conservation and Carolina Memorial Ecosystems, Mourning Cloak seeks to establish Arkansas’s first conservation burial ground. There is currently no natural or conservation burial option in Arkansas, a place known as “The Natural State.” We aim to remedy that by educating the public about conservation burial and facilitating the creation of a conservation burial ground through technical and organizational support. In our largest vision, we will foster two burial grounds near Arkansas’s major population centers: Northwest Arkansas and Central Arkansas.This is work that will require a community dedicated to seeing a new possibility come into existence. We hope you will join our work by subscribing to our newsletter and filling out our partner survey for future opportunities to serve.
Contact us
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