Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery

What Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery does

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery (PCCC) is a non-profit community cemetery near Gainesville, Florida, that provides natural green burials on 93 acres of protected conservation land. Founded in 2007 by community members and licensed as an exempt cemetery by the state of Florida in July 2010, PCCC prevents the use of embalming fluids and concrete vaults, allowing bodies to return naturally to the earth. The site is part of the Alachua Conservation Trust's 606-acre Prairie Creek Preserve, contiguous with Paynes Prairie State Park's 21,000 acres, and is protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement with Alachua County. PCCC holds the highest-level certification from the Green Burial Council, making it Florida's first certified conservation cemetery.

Operationally, PCCC relies on hand-dug graves prepared by the volunteer-run Society of the Pick and Spade, a GPS-based gravesite location system accurate to 10-20 feet, and a small staff of 7. The organization is overseen by Conservation Burial Inc. (CBI), a 501(c)(13) Nonprofit Cemetery Corporation. Core services are body burial at $2,000 and cremains burial at $950, with fees unchanged since 2010, supplemented by a Living Memorial Native Plant Program, a Burial Preference Form for advance planning, and home funeral support. PCCC generates revenue through these one-time burial fees, a tiered sustainer subscription program ($5–$100/month or $60–$1,200/year), tax-deductible donations, planned giving/estates, and native plant contributions ($35–$100 per plant). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the website, tours, and virtual information sessions, with referral channels through a network of Florida funeral homes (Brown and Sons, Countryside, Milam, Williams-Thomas) and hospice organizations, and ecosystem partnerships with Alachua Conservation Trust, the Green Burial Council, the Conservation Burial Alliance, and Final Friends of Gainesville.

Name

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery

Legal name

Conservation Burial Inc. (CBI)

Website

https://prairiecreekconservationcemetery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery is a Florida non-profit providing natural green burials on 93 acres of protected conservation land near Gainesville, serving individuals and families seeking embalming-free, vault-free interment. It generates revenue from $2,000 burial fees, a sustainer subscription program, and donations, and holds the highest Green Burial Council certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Cemetery Services

NAICS

Cemeteries and Crematories (81222), Cemeteries and Crematories (812220)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)

Keywords

• Green burial services
• Conservation cemetery
• Natural burial
• Cremation burial
• Interment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Burial Service Fees: One-time fees charged for opening and closing graves. Body burial at $2,000 and cremated remains burial at $950. The fee has remained unchanged since 2010. A portion of each fee is invested in a perpetual care endowment fund.
2. Donations and Sustainer Program: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the mission. Monthly sustainer levels ranging from $5 to $100 per month, with annual sustainer levels from $60 to $1,200 per year. Also accepts planned giving through bequests and estate planning.
3. Native Plant Program Donations: Donation-based program for planting native species at gravesites during community planting days. Suggested contribution of $35-$100 per plant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery provides natural (green) burial services on a 93-acre protected conservation area near Gainesville, Florida. Core offerings include full-body burial at $2,000 and cremated remains burial at $950, both involving hand-dug graves, no embalming or vaults, and integration with ongoing land conservation. The organization also runs a Living Memorial Native Plant Program and a GPS-based grave location service for visitors.

Product overview

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery operates as a single, unified conservation burial service offering natural body burial and cremains burial within a protected 93-acre conservation area. The core service includes hand-dug graves, biodegradable burial requirements (no embalming, no vaults), brass markers, and GPS grave location. Additional offerings include a Living Memorial Native Plant Program for grave site plantings, a Burial Preference Form for pre-planning, and volunteer-assisted grave digging through the Society of the Pick and Spade. The cemetery is managed in partnership with Alachua Conservation Trust and operates as an exempt cemetery under Conservation Burial Inc. (CBI).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Body Burial Full-body natural burial service for $2,000, including opening and closing of a hand-dug grave, a free small brass marker, and placement of up to 15 chairs and a table with water/cups at the gravesite. No embalming fluids or vaults are used.
• Cremains Burial Burial of cremated remains at $950, including a biodegradable container or pouring directly into the grave, with a free small brass marker. Additional cremains buried at the same time can be added for $300 with separate marker and database registration.
• Living Memorial Native Plant Program Donation-based program allowing native trees, bushes, and grasses to be planted at gravesites as living memorials, with species selected by PCCC and Alachua Conservation Trust for each ecosystem. Suggested contribution of $35-$100 per plant.
• Burial Preference Form Planning document that acts as a general reservation for cemetery space, allowing patrons to pre-plan by indicating burial preferences and desired ecosystem area.
• GPS Gravesite Location Service Smartphone-accessible GPS database that allows visitors to locate gravesites using satellite imagery and walking directions accurate to within 10-20 feet.
• Monthly Sustainer Program Subscription-based donation program supporting ongoing operations and conservation efforts, with monthly tiers ranging from $5 (Golden Rod) to $100 (Live Oak), and matching annual giving options from $60 to $1,200. Includes quarterly newsletter and event invitations.
• Home Funeral Support Support for families choosing home funerals who handle all arrangements themselves, including state paperwork, body care, and transportation to the cemetery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 acres of protected conservation land maintained as natural cemetery and preserve
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCCC partners with ACT to manage, protect, and restore the land. ACT is an accredited nonprofit land trust dedicated to protecting natural, historic, scenic, and recreational resources in north central Florida. PCCC's 93 acres are part of ACT's 606-acre Prairie Creek Preserve. ACT maintains the conservation easement with Alachua County preventing development in perpetuity while ensuring public access.
• Green Burial CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCCC is certified at the highest level by the Green Burial Council, which sets standards for natural burial in North America. This certification recognizes PCCC's commitment to conservation burial practices and environmental protection.
• Conservation Burial AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCCC is a member of the Conservation Burial Alliance, a collection of conservation burial ground creators, stewards, and advocates working to connect people who support natural burial with land protection efforts.
• Final Friends of GainesvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity volunteer organization providing free education, guidance, and support for home funerals in Florida. Helps families interested in caring for their own deceased loved ones prior to burial at PCCC.
• Community SupportersminorOthersLocal organizations providing in-kind donations for events including Beat It Bugs (pest control), Opus Coffee, Royal Restrooms, The Top Hub, and Flatwood Flowers. These partners contribute talents and services for planting days and annual memorial celebrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• StoneMor Partners: StoneMor Partners operates a large network of cemeteries and funeral homes across the US, focused on traditional burial products. Relevant as a broad incumbent in the cemetery industry against which conservation burial competes for end-of-life customers.
• Service Corporation International: Service Corporation International (SCI) is the largest funeral and cemetery operator in North America, operating thousands of conventional cemeteries and funeral homes. Relevant as the dominant incumbent in the broader death-care market that green burial upends.

Others

• Green Burial Council: The Green Burial Council is the industry certifying body for natural and conservation burial grounds in North America, including PCCC's highest-tier certification. It is an ecosystem/standards organization, not a competitor, but central to PCCC's positioning.
• Conservation Burial Alliance: The Conservation Burial Alliance is an industry coalition of conservation burial ground operators and advocates of which PCCC is a member. Comparable as an ecosystem/enabling organization rather than a competitor.
• Alachua Conservation Trust: Alachua Conservation Trust is the land trust that manages the 606-acre Prairie Creek Preserve, holds the conservation easement, and co-stewards PCCC's 93 acres. A direct operating partner, not a competitor, but the most strategically adjacent organization to PCCC.

Direct peers

• Ramsey Creek Preserve: Ramsey Creek Preserve in Westminster, South Carolina is widely recognized as the original US conservation burial ground, founded in 1998. It is the closest direct peer to PCCC, sharing the same Green Burial Council–certified conservation burial model on protected land.
• White Eagle Memorial Preserve: White Eagle Memorial Preserve in Washington state is a Green Burial Council–certified conservation burial ground operating on permanently protected land with restored native habitat. Comparable to PCCC as a regional conservation cemetery serving environmentally motivated families.
• Steelmantown Natural Cemetery: Steelmantown Natural Cemetery in New Jersey is one of the early US conservation burial grounds, operating under a natural burial model with no embalming, no vaults, and restored natural habitat. Directly comparable to PCCC in core service offering and target customer.
• Honey Creek Woodlands: Honey Creek Woodlands is a conservation burial ground in Indiana operating under a similar nonprofit, easement-protected model with hand-dug graves and native habitat restoration. Directly comparable to PCCC in mission, governance structure, and Green Burial Council certification.
• Fox Forest Natural Burial Ground: Fox Forest in North Carolina is a conservation burial ground operating on protected forest land with hand-dug graves and native plant restoration, sharing PCCC's nonprofit, conservation-burial business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prairie-creek-conservation-cemetery

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery