Planning a Burial

There are typically two types of clients at Kings Mountain Preserve: those who have recently lost a loved one and are in an at-need situation, or those who are planning their final arrangements for the future and are in a pre-need situation.

Pre-Need Clients

We recommend that you plan your final arrangements ahead of time with a funeral home. Pre-planning ensures that your final wishes for a natural burial are followed upon your passing. Pre-planning also removes a tremendous burden from those left behind to make arrangements. Your pre-planned funeraland burial is truly a gift to those who will be responsible for handling your final arrangements.
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Reading over the information provided on this website is a great start to your planning for a natural burial. You can call us with any questions about natural burial or Kings Mountain Preserve. If you have funeral arrangement questions, we recommend contacting Robertson Funeral and Cremation Service at 704-752-7710, or the funeral home of your choice.

At-Need Clients

When a death occurs and no arrangements have been made ahead of time, it is important that you contact Kings Mountain Preserve as soon as possible.

If you are considering a natural burial, these criteria need to be considered when choosing a funeral home:
  • Embalming using any formaldehyde or formalin-based embalming chemicals is strictly prohibited.
  • The body must be refrigerated in lieu of embalming until the time of the burial.
  • The casket, shroud, or blanket must be constructed of 100% biodegradable material.
  • No vault or outer burial container is permitted.
  • The body must not be in a condition that would cause a nuisance or health risk to attendees of a funeral service or employees of the Kings Mountain Preserve such as excessive decomposition. We do accept decedents who have died from infectious diseases such as COVID and execute measures to protect our employees as well as the public.

We require an in-person signed interment authorization form from the immediate next of kin, guardian, or health care power of attorney no later than 48 hours prior to the burial.

We recommend contacting Kings Mountain Preserve prior to selecting a funeral home. Although most funeral homes are somewhat familiar with our requirements, not all may be accustomed to the requirements for green burial. We stand ready to work with any funeral home and value the professional relationships we have built within the industry over the past 25 years.