Forever Fernwood exemplifies what some are calling the "alternative death movement". On their website they state "Fernwood is not only a cemetery and a funeral home, it is also a memorial landscape. This place is a unique site where families and histories connect through cycles of nature, memory, and restoration. Fernwood provides a place for spiritual connection to our ancestors and to the Earth.
This new movement in burial reform acts in a holistic manner - it can be understood in the new forms of burial through biodegradable coffins, the dismissal of chemical preservatives (and preservation in general), the lack of burial vaults....to the landscaped formation these burial spots take. Headstones are replaced by shrubs and trees - grave locations are no longer phyiscally demarcated but instead found through surveillance tools such as gps...and the landscape the bodies find permanent residence in are kept as ecological habitats.
There are as of now six such cemeteries in the United States. This cemetery in particular exists on the boundary of San Fransicso - not within city limits, but instead in 100% communication with the wooded lands. This new movement does not distinguish between burial places in or outside of cities, but rather the focus is on the ecological approach towards implementing and maintaining them. Yet the question still exists-is nature today considered a peripheral aspect to urban form? The fact is that cemeteries, while they are rapidly becoming more "environmentally sensitive" are no longer being built within urban areas. In this way, then, they cannot contribute to the communion of nature and cities, and in fact, may even help to separate them farther.

http://naturalburial.coop/USA/forever-fernwood/

Description
The 32-acre Fernwood site is adjacent to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and just minutes from Mt. Tamalpais State Park with easy access from Highway 101. The old cemetery graves are surrounded by heritage oak and bay trees, has existed here since the late 1800s. Currently, Fernwood permits both conventional and natural burial.

The land at Fernwood is comprised of a patchwork of grassland, brush, mixed forests, and riparian drainages. It is a dynamic environment of rapidly changing weather exposed to fog, winds and sun, seasonal rain, and dry summers.

The land is hilly and located on the shaded north slope of a long ridge that extends from uplifted marine terraces known as the Marin Headlands. The Cemetery lands drain toward the salt-water marsh of Tennessee Valley, and Coyote Creek meanders along the base of the mountain.

Restoration
Fernwood envisions a diverse healthy ecology and sustainable land use for this place and its community. The land stewardship and restoration program is integrated with cemetery and burial ritual. This involvement provides environmental restoration and greater wisdom about natural processes including life cycles. The plan developed for the land seeks a whole system approach with people working on and caring for the land. Recognition of the animals, plants, and natural processes provides spiritual connection to the sacredness of this place.

Technology
Fernwood uses GPS and GIS to collect and manage detailed information about graves on this site. Using this technology allows us to keep accurate records and link to digital LifeStories about people who are buried in natural burial areas while minimizing the impact on the land.

Geographic Information System (GIS) a computerized data management system designed to capture, store, retrieve, analyze and report geographic and demographic information.

Global Positioning System (GPS) Global Positioning System also refers to Global Positioning Satellite - a system using satellites, receivers and software to allow users to determine their exact geographic position.