Sacred Groves Memorial Woodland
Sacred Groves Memorial Woodland is Humboldt County’s first conservation burial ground. It is located on a serene 42-acre ridgetop savanna and oak–conifer woodland in the mountain community of Kneeland, approximately 30 minutes from Eureka.
The landscape features deep, fertile soils, open grasslands, and mixed forest. Owned by the Eric and Mary Almquist Trust, the land will continue to support sustainable hay production alongside long-term oak woodland restoration, ensuring the site remains both a productive agricultural resource and an ecologically vibrant sanctuary.
Kneeland sits at 2,100+ feet in elevation, 12 miles east of Humboldt Bay. Our site is accessed via historic access road—originally built by the Kneeland family. The junction where our entrance meets Kneeland Road aligns with the historic Pack Trail Junction, where routes from Eureka and Union (now Arcata) once converged.
Our Purpose
Sacred Groves is a California nonprofit and religious corporation founded to serve people of all backgrounds who wish to reconnect with nature at life’s end.
Unlike commercial ventures, we are a community-led service project supported by donations and services revenues. We are guided by a commitment to ecological integrity, reverence for life, community service, and the responsible stewardship of this land in perpetuity.
Burial & Ash-Spreading Options
The Sacred Groves Board of Directors is currently finalizing a detailed price list. Planned memorial options include:
Family Groves: (Approximately 400 - 2,500 sq. ft.) featuring 3-6 native California trees
Individual Burial Trees: A living memorial within our restoration zones
Natural Burial: Within our restored native grasslands
Ash Spreading: Situated in the restored oak savanna or in the woodland
Human Composting (Natural Organic Reduction): Memorial options anticipated to begin in 2027
The Sacred Groves Board of Directors is currently finalizing a detailed price list. Planned memorial options include:
