The Metta Earth Forest Sanctuary offers an ecologically mindful alternative to today’s conventional burial system. Simple natural burial is as old as human history. As members of the community pass away, we offer the opportunity for burial to be as in tune with the natural environment as possible. Over time, the forest can thrive with plants that serve as a memorial for those who have gone before us—a reminder of life’s cyclical nature.

A place for Natural Burial and a place for:

Conservation ~ Recreation ~ Education
Forest Ecology Research and Study ~ Field Study Site
Ecologically Diverse Forest with many Old Growth Trees
Wilderness Questing & Ecopsychology Programs
An Eco Trail System
Herbal & Mushroom Cultivation & Wildcrafting
Protection of Endangered Species

~ Gillian & Russell, Founders of Metta Earth ~

Emerging Site Development

The Forest Sanctuary is underway. It is in process to become a designated cemetery nonproft, as a 501c13 within fifty acres of protected forest. There are a number of significant expenses before the project is finalized. We humbly ask for your support to ensure this becomes a reality. 

Several big steps have been accomplished including:

• Subdivision of 50 acres in the northeast quadrant of Metta Earth land
• Granting of a conditional use permit with a unanimous decision by our Town of Lincoln Development Review Board. 

The next step is approval by the Vermont environmental regulatory Act 250 agency. All surveys, engineering, etc. have been accomplished favorably, so this is likely to be a routine process. We estimate that $25K is needed to get through the last legal, financial, and permitting processes. We can’t do it without your help.

Once we meet this financial goal and complete these steps, In 2026, we will launch a community fundraising campaign to transfer the land to the sanctuary.

As all of this completes,  burial plots will become available for reservation.

A committee is forming with local green burial advocates, as well as other support team to actualize this project. The Green Burial Council, a national non-profit, offers guidelines that support this type of development. Because 2015 legislation was passed allowing non-profit green burial grounds in Vermont, Metta Earth Institute is now able to work with legal and financial advisors to implement one of the first projects.

We will also begin offering  Metta Earth Forest Sanctuary experiences and education both on the land and online. We invite you to arrange for an inidvidual and/or group tour of the sanctuary and an opportunity for discussion gatherings. Metta Earth Institute is in the process of designing guided retreats and programs for bereavement, aging, death and dying, as well as various dimensions of green burial.

~Revision of a Gaelic blessing

Supporting The Forest Sanctuary Project

Becoming a Nonprofit Open to the Public

If you, or someone you know, or an organization you think may be interested in year-end giving, we hope you will consider this as an important project. MettaEarth Institute, as a 501c13, will be serving as a fiscal sponsor, so your contributions are tax deductible.

We invite you to 

For larger donations, please consider writing a check to
Metta Earth Institute, Inc.
334 Geary Road S
Lincoln, Vermont 05443