Haystack Memorial Park

About / History

In 1991, Kurt Erlanson bought this 40 acre tract simply intending to retire and build a home on it. Because the land is too steep and rocky to plow, it had mostly been used for grazing, or was simply left unattended by absentee landowners. When he first moved in, there was lots of grass but only a few young trees. There were (and still are) many charred tree trunks scattered about, remains from the fires of 1947 and 1974.

At first, Kurt focused on building a home to live in. But as time went on, he noticed that the tiny seedlings he had seen when he first arrived had grown to become large Ponderosa Pines, and still more seedlings were sprouting up all over. He thought to himself, "these trees are coming back... Maybe I can help!" He also noticed that the absentee neighbors were doing little to nothing to preserve their 20 acre plots of land against fire or erosion.

Kurt pondered: "How can we save our forests and wild lands for future generations?"

A fellow conservationist suggested creating some green cemeteries to protect protect the lands while maintaining their natural beauty. In Washington, cemeteries are protected from taxation, development, and neglect, even past the death of the owner.

By doing this, we can provide a special place for our dearly departed, while preserving special strands of trees and wildlands, and also providing a lasting habitat to the native wildlife. And so, the idea for Haystack Memorial Park was born!

Armed with this idea, Kurt began the journey of creating a facility where caring for our departed loved ones and appreciating nature can find a beautiful harmony.

Natural Burial

Natural Burial is a return to the ways of the past, designed to conserve natural resources. Also called "Green Burials", the core focus is minimalism and sustainability, caring for the dead in a way that cares for nature as well.

At Haystack Memorial Park, our philosophy is: "from dust we came, and to dust we shall return." Accordingly, we will perfom burials without toxic chemicals, burial vaults, or elaborate caskets. Here, burials are done in a plain wood casket or cloth shroud. Instead of a headstone, a plain natural stone (selected by you or your family from the nearby natural quarry, no additional charge) will be laid flat on the ground to mark the grave.

The grounds are groves of trees or meadows between the trees. No lawns, flower beds, driveways, fences, gates, or statues. Everything is very natural.

Instead of monuments and headstones, we have haystacks (large chunks of basalt that have traveled on glaciers and eroded over time), dramatic basalt cliffs, a few very large Ponderosa Pines, fields of naked basalt, sweeping views of the Columbia River Valley, and the foothills of the North Cascades.

Resting Sites

Haystack Memorial Park sits on a 40-acre tract of pine forest, meadows, cliffs, and boulder fields in rural Douglas County, Washington.

In this stretch of protected land, we have dedicated three one-acre plots specifically for natural burial grave sites.

One of the beautiful things about Haystack Memorial Park is that it becomes a part of your life. Even before, or after, laying a loved one to rest here, you have multiple reasons to come visit. You can go hiking, enjoy fresh air and sunshine, or even have a picnic among the trees and haystacks while remembering your loved ones.

Conservation

Haystack Memorial Park is a natural partnership. The green cemetery provides a natural resting place for our dearly departed, while the surrounding forest and meadows provide a beautiful place to go hiking, have a picnic, or do some bird watching.

The trees in the park provide multiple benefits. The very air we breathe is, in large part, provided by the forests here and around the world. By caring for these trees, we also reap the benefits of: Water Conservation, Wildlife Habitat, Erosion Control, and Carbon Sequestration.

Carbon sequestration is the natural process in which trees and other green plants take up the carbon dioxide (the principal greenhouse gas) and, through the process of photosynthesis, convert it into tree trunks, leaves or needles, branches, and roots. If we took the time to measure this, we would discover that a few hundred trees can sequester many tons of carbon each year! This is a huge win for the environment.

Another big plus is wildlife habitat.

Kurt has recorded over 60 species of birds around this property so far! Apart from birds, a rich array of land animals like black bear, cougar, bobcat, coyote, badger, skunk, porcupine, cottontail rabbit, marmot, and lots of ground squirrels, wood rats, and other rodents are resident in the park. Not to mention at least 5 species of snakes, several species of lizards, and even one type of salamander.

These animals and plants get to keep their natural home because of the conservation work our partnership helps us to achieve here.

Events

One of our most notable events is the Balsamroot Bash, the annual blooming of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot that cover this land. These cheerful yellow blooms welcome spring soon after the snow melts. The spectacular introduction first occurs on the South-facing side of the canyon, then migrates along the canyon to gracefully brighten the North-facing side, where the burial plots are located. Join us as we greet spring with this annual reminder of life and natural beauty.