Heartwood Preserve is more than a montage of spectacular wildflowers, towering trees and wide paths that invite a serene stroll. It is the region’s first “conservation cemetery,” where human remains are interred naturally, part of a growing trend away from traditional burials in favor of eco-friendly gravesites.
Heartwood Preserve is the brainchild of Laura Starkey – the granddaughter of cattle rancher J.B. Starkey who assembled vast holdings encompassing thousands of acres in Pinellas and Pasco counties. Part of the family’s original homestead, Heartwood includes ancient longleaf pine, native palms and wildflowers galore and is adjacent to Starkey Wilderness Preserve, a popular recreation area in southwest Pasco.
Read the complete article at Bay Soundings: Tampa Bay’s Environmental News