"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." Rabindranath Tagore

Greensprings staff and volunteers at the Ithaca Festival Parade, 2026.

Summer is just around the corner, and we are in a moment of great activity here at Greensprings!  The birds are busy building nests and raising their nestlings. The meadows are growing taller and more colorful with each rain, and Prairie Warblers were recently spotted near the Reflection Pond. 

Since our last newsletter, Greensprings Burial Coordinators and Volunteers have supported 19 burials with over 350 attendees.  We connected with community members at the Talking About Death Won’t Kill You event and participated in the annual Lifelong Volunteer Fair that aims to connect prospective volunteers with non-profits.  In late May we marched in the Ithaca Parade, joyfully celebrating our work: supporting people and pollinators since 2006! 

This spring has also found our Stewardship Committee working tirelessly to prepare our newest, soon-to-be-open burial meadows on the northwestern edge of the property.  Bluebird and Kestrel Meadows will create over 1700 new burial sites along the border of the Greensprings property and the Newfield State Forest. These meadows will not be open for site selection until later this summer or fall but will soon support the growing number of people seeking a natural burial for themselves and their loved ones.

Please read on to learn more about our 20th Anniversary celebration on June 27th, our on-going garden club, and some wonderful news about our newest neighbors.  May this find you well!

June 27th — Greensprings Turns 20!

Why I Choose Greensprings

“The Earth has so generously fed me, and I will - as a show of gratitude - feed the Earth someday. Buying my permanent residency spot at Greensprings 15 years ago was among the easiest decisions I have ever made, and aligns with my values on so many levels.” — Steve Lawrence

Early supporter, former Trustee, former Burial Coordinator, Steve Lawrence on his burial site, joyfully.

Neighbors and Friends

At our annual meeting on June 27th, Andy Zepp, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, will deliver the keynote speech, “Creating a Legacy of Land and People – Reflections on Greensprings’ 20 years and a Look to Future Partnership with the Finger Lakes Land Trust.” Stay tuned for more information on this delightfully evolving relationship!

An image of the FLLT wooded parcel and Greensprings’ meadows

The Finger Lakes Land Trust has launched a fundraising campaign to acquire 127 acres of towering oaks, maple, hemlock, and beech at our eastern border. Protection of this land will secure vital forest habitat for resident Barred Owls and neotropical songbirds. The property’s woodlands also play a role in sequestering carbon and help maintain water quality by filtering runoff. Acquisition will also ensure the character of the adjacent Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve and the integrity of adjacent conserved woodlands.

Simple is Beautiful

At a recent burial, the bottom of a cardboard “cremation box” was used as a trundle board for a burial in a shroud. The whole cremation box (bottom with top) can be used as an inexpensive and ecologically very low impact alternative coffin. Plus it is easy to decorate the cardboard with messages or art using water-based markers.

1st and 3rd Wednesdays — Garden Club

Drop-in and lend a hand at our nursery and demo gardens, Remembrance Grove, or Reflection Pond. Volunteers are led by staff. Work varies and can be tailored to abilities and experience. Bring your sunhat and water bottle!

Jala Bayo, Stewardship Committee member & Trustee, improving drainage near the parking area during Caring for Your Cemetery Day.

Support the nature preserve! Maintaining walking trails, managing invasives, and improving our meadows is a big effort. Please consider becoming a sustaining member to support this important work, allowing us to keep our fees accessible.