Natural Burial Basics: Preparing for Death While Living Your Values

This program focuses on reducing our environmental footprint through natural burial. Natural Burial is a growing national movement that supports environmentally sound ways of returning the body to the earth in a natural, simple, and dignified way.

The presenter and facilitator, Jennifer Downs, is the President of the Board of Directors for the Green Burial Association of Maryland, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public and related industries and advocating for natural burial options in the State of Maryland. Jennifer is a Licensed Acupuncturist and RN in practice since 1980. She taught acupuncture for a number of years at TAI Sophia in Columbia, MD. She developed programs for people in the later decades of life, enriched by working one-on-one with patients for decades. The Natural Burial Movement inspired her to get involved as it provides meaningful ways to gather in honor of a loved one and preserves green space for the living.

In addition to a slide presentation on the basics of natural burial, we will hear stories of natural burials from people who have had direct experience with natural burial. We will also hear from members of the Reflection Park team about the vision for natural burial after opening.

There will be time for questions and optional community discussion.

Below is the program schedule for you to plan your afternoon. We may adjust timing of the Q&A and community time if needed.

1:45pm Arrival/Doors Open

2:00pm Natural Burial Presentation and Personal Experience Stories

3:00pm Questions and Answers

3:15pm Optional Small Group Community Connections

3:30pm Program Closes