Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery Policies & Rules

Please find additional policies regarding burials and general reservations on our respective burial contract and burial preference form. PCCC reserves the right to make changes to these policies at any time.

Burial Policies

Acceptance of Remains

1. PCCC does not accept bodies that have been embalmed. It is the duty of the responsible party to make clear to their licensed funeral director, if they are using one, of the need to avoid embalming. 

2. An interment shall be made in a biodegradable container including, but not limited to, a wooden casket, natural fiber shroud, cardboard casket, or other biodegradable container. Urns are optional for burial of cremated remains. If an urn is used, it must be biodegradable. However, we do not allow burial of urns made of stone, salt, glazed ceramics, or any stained, varnished or painted wood. There can not be any metal screws, hinges, etc. Should a non-biodegradable container be brought to the Cemetery for burial, PCCC has the right to refuse interment until a suitable container is available, or the cremains can be poured directly into the grave. 

3. Human remains, if clothed, shall be in biodegradable clothing as much as possible. Such clothing could be made from materials such as, but not limited to, cotton, linen, wool, or silk. 

4. Remains are to be delivered with a transit permit and non-biodegradable body tag (excluding cremains) to PCCC, at 7204 SE County Road 234 in Gainesville, FL, in acceptable condition for natural burial. PCCC will not be responsible for any additional expenses incurred from remains being delivered in an unacceptable condition for natural burial. 

5. PCCC relies upon the identification of the deceased provided by the funeral director conducting the funeral services, next-of-kin, or the responsible party, and shall have no obligation to independently establish or verify the identity of the remains to be interred.

Arrangement of Burial

1. PCCC does not take payment before a death has occurred. Payment however is required prior to burial. PCCC will not perform a burial or any other service without the payment made in full.

2. PCCC will make an effort to include patrons in the site selection process and/or try to fulfill the requests per the deceased’s Burial Preference Form, but PCCC will ultimately select the site at staff’s discretion.

3. PCCC may postpone or reschedule any interment service at the discretion of cemetery personnel due to severe weather conditions or other conditions beyond the cemetery’s control. In the event PCCC decides services must be postponed, the cemetery shall not be held liable for any costs incurred. 

4. PCCC does not provide funeral services or interment rights.

5. PCCC will not store cremated remains. Cremated remains must be delivered as closely as possible to the scheduled time of interment. 

Graveside Services 

1. PCCC will allow graveside services to be conducted in accordance with all religious or secular traditions, in so much as these services do not endanger the health and safety of cemetery staff and service attendees, and are in keeping with the Policies and Mission of PCCC.

2. Visitors are permitted to participate in the interment process, however PCCC shall not be responsible for any injury incurred during these services. If PCCC staff determines a situation is unsafe, it reserves the right to limit participation in the interment process. 

3. To minimize impacts to specific plants or ecologically sensitive areas, PCCC may require service attendees to remain a specific distance away from the burial area.

Saved Space Policy

1. By completing a Burial Preference Form, you are holding a general space to be buried at PCCC, which is run by Conservation Burial, Inc.

2. PCCC can only save specific spaces for spouses of those buried here, or for parents of deceased minors (17 and under). PCCC cannot save or guarantee other family members or friends will be able to be buried next to their loved ones, though we will always try to accommodate location preferences as long as in accordance with our active lot system.

3. Specific sites for spouses/partners or parents may only be saved once PCCC receives a completed Burial Preference form.

Grave Memorialization & Planting Policies

Memorial Items

1. Cemetery visitors are permitted to leave memorial items at graves. Memorial items may only consist of natural and biodegradable materials, such as cut flowers (without a container), “nature sculptures”, wreaths, and paper items. Any items left at gravesites not in accordance with these policies or the mission of the Cemetery may be removed at the PCCC’s staff’s discretion and without notice. 

2. Memorial objects that are not made of biodegradable, natural materials will be allowed to remain on the grave for up to one week. After one week, items of value will be collected and held in the office before being donated to an appropriate charitable organization. Family members should not expect to recover objects, as PCCC will not be responsible for items left on graves or cemetery grounds.

3. Nature sculptures refer to raw, unfinished pieces of wood from regionally native trees that have not been tooled or carved in any fashion. Nature sculptures can be no larger than 30 inches high. PCCC has the right to determine an object’s appropriateness as a nature sculpture and can remove them at the cemetery’s discretion and without notice. 

4. Up to three unpainted or unpolished rocks can be placed on grave sites, as long as they are no larger than 4 inches in diameter each and sourced regionally. Rocks are not permitted to cover a significant portion of the gravesite area.

5. The grave marker provided by PCCC is the only memorial item at a grave permitted to include any writing.

6. Unless authorized by the Cemetery, the installation of benches, chairs, bird houses and other like items is prohibited.

Landscaping & Planting

1. No mulching over gravesites is permitted at PCCC. Mowing, weeding, or other alterations of the natural vegetation on/around a gravesite is not permitted without preapproval from PCCC. 

2. No living plants may be planted at a burial site without preapproval of PCCC. Native plants may be available for memorial plantings during our Community Planting Day(s) as part of our Native Plant Program.

Bench Policy

Current memorial benches in the cemetery will remain where they were placed until they become unusable and/or unsafe for use. Once this happens, they will be removed and will not be replaced. Instead, a bench will become available for sponsorship through our Memorial Bench Donation Program.PCCC maintains a list of those who want to donate a bench who will be contacted first come first serve when sponsorship opportunities are available. All benches will be supplied and placed by PCCC. 

Benches will be no more than 50” wide and 18” deep. The height will be between 14” and 20”. Benches must remain untreated, unstained, unpainted, and unvarnished.  Natural preservative finishes such as linseed oil may be applied. Memorial benches will include a weather-resistant plaque not larger than 3” by 5”. Engraving on the plaque must be approved by PCCC staff prior to installation. Locations for benches are determined by the PCCC staff and discussed with sponsors prior to sponsorship. Bench placements should not be expected to be at a specific gravesite or location in the cemetery. 

Benches are the property of the cemetery. It is at PCCC’s discretion to repair any damage to a bench. Benches will be removed once they become unsafe and/or unusable. When benches are removed the donor will be notified. Sponsors of removed benches may request their names be added to our bench sponsorship list for potential future replacement. Benches that are not authorized will be removed and stored for no longer than thirty days. If possible, staff will attempt to determine the owner of the bench and contact them.