Our Environment

Chiltern Woodland Burial Park is run in as sustainable a way as possible. In common with our sister parks, we respect and nurture the woodland and landscape settings, and employ strategies that actively encourage their continuous environmental improvement and the enhancement of their natural biodiversity.

• Our woodchip burner heats our buildings and water and runs on wood from our own woodland. Lower grade chip is used to make woodchip paths for improved access within the woodland.
• Our buildings are constructed from sustainable timber.
• Our electricity is supplied from a renewable energy source.
• We compost our kitchen waste and flowers from the graves.
• Staff and visitors are encouraged to recycle wherever possible.
• We use eco-friendly cleaning products and organic/ Fair Trade supplies for refreshments.
• Sewage is processed using our own onsite Klargester treatment plant.
• Timber and other materials left over from the building process are utilised within the woodland.
• Only unvarnished wooden memorials are permitted.

Sustainable building materials used during construction:

• Natural materials with low embedded energy, locally sourced materials and non-toxic materials were used wherever possible.
• The timber frame buildings were constructed using only FSC approved wood.
• Recycled hardcore was used throughout the construction..
• Buildings are clad using Thermowood, removing the need for chemical preservatives.
• External and internal finishes are OS products with ‘Blue Angel’ ecological accreditation.
• Warmcel recycled paper cellulose insulation is in place in all walls and roofs.
• All waste timber is retained and reused onsite, e.g. for compost bins.
• Any new trees planted are UK provenance (preferably from onsite regeneration) and produced using peat-free methods.

Energy sources and conservation:

• Electricity is supplied by renewable energy company – Ecotricity.
• Heating is provided from the woodchip biomass boiler. The woodchip used is produced on site, using timber resulting from the woodland management programme.
• Low energy light bulbs are used throughout.
• Outdoor lighting is programmed to only come on when needed.
• Computers are turned off at night.
• Motion sensors are in place for some lights in the buildings

Office supplies:

• Recycled stationary is used wherever possible, with all other paper FSC approved
• We use ecologically friendly cleaning and bathroom supplies, including recycled toilet paper and bin liners.
• All recyclable office supplies such as batteries, toner cartridges are recycled.
• Supplies for visitor and staff refreshments are locally sourced and Fair Trade.

Waste management:

• All recyclable products are recycled.
• Food waste and dead flowers are composted on site (compost bins built by staff using waste wood from the building process).
• Foul water is processed through the Klargester.
• Woodchip that is not suitable for the biomass boiler is used for creation of temporary paths throughout the woodland.