Green burial is highly-effective yet under-utilized form of climate action that allows us to reconcile our inescapable human imposition on our land by returning to the earth with real intention. It is at once an ancient and radically modern practice in which human remains are interred directly into the earth, without the use of any toxic substances or preservatives, and either with no container at all or in 100% natural and biodegradable shrouds or coffins. Conservation burial incorporates green burial practices into a larger plan of careful habitat restoration and preservation to create deeply meaningful natural spaces for contemplation, remembrance, and gratitude. Moreover, conservation burial tends to be a significantly more affordable–and thus more widely accessible–option for dignified burial than mainstream alternatives.
Campo de Estrellas is a conservation cemetery in Smithville, TX. Our project works to reconnect and reconcile people from diverse backgrounds to nature, spirituality, mortality, and each other through conservation burial.
WorkshopsConservation Burial
The Team
A funeral director, a lawyer, and a retired nurse walk into a field…
…and a vision is born. A vision of a place that will inspire people to think differently about death, dying, and legacy. A vision of a place that will become a refuge for wildlife, rich in biodiversity, color, and life. A vision of a place that becomes a focal point for a larger community that believes in the importance of setting aside space for nature, memory, and rustic beauty.
Whether you join us for a workshop, a rewilding day, or make Campo de Estrellas part of your end-of-life planning, we welcome you as part of our team and circle of friends.
Join us for our first virtual workshop of 2023! Sunday, February 26th from 2pm - 4pm, CST. Tickets are free and space is limited. This will not be recorded. Link in bio!
Grateful for the opportunity to speak to @ordergooddeath (along with Tanya Marsh) about conservation burial as an environmental protection concept and share the story of Campo de Estrellas. Link to listen in bio!
Our sign pays tribute to our cemetery land's past as a cattle pasture and embeds itself in the farming community that surrounds it. Decades of cattle grazing removed many of the native grasses and plants that normally thrive here, but they have begun to return in just two years since we've begun rewilding the property. As significant has been the support we've received from our neighbors, who are seeing firsthand the benefits of conservation cemeteries. 🌱
A cap to put on one of the corners of a plot. Each of the caps will be stamped with the gps coordinates of the grave.
Cedar and mesquite frame our burial plots. The cicadas hum all around. 🪲🌲🌿
A little structure to our wild wood 🌳 🌵 🌄
Look what we found in the field! The scallop shell is THE symbol of the Camino de Santiago but here in Bastrop? Far from the sea? FAR from Santiago! I guess the Universe is telling us we chose the right name for our cemetery. Compostela = field of stars = Campo de Estrellas!
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for our last workshop of the year! 2pm - 4pm CST. Still a few spots open - link in bio!
Contact Us
Campo de Estrellas Conservation Cemetery