About the Kokosing Nature Preserve:
In 2013, the Philander Chase Conservancy acquired the former Tomahawk Golf Course in Knox County and began the process of converting the property into a prairie and green burial site. This process, known as "succession" in ecological terms, is defined by the gradual change in habitat characteristics and species composition.
For more information about the Kokosing Nature Preserve, visit their website.
About green burial:
Green burial encompasses a range of practices that seek to "bury without impediment." There is no traditional embalming, no concrete vaults and biodegradable burial containers are used. Green burial cemeteries also commit to these values through the land management practices.
The Kokosing Nature Preserve is one of three sites in Ohio certified by the Green Burial Council as a conservation burial ground, which is the most rigorous category.
In 2013, the Philander Chase Conservancy acquired the former Tomahawk Golf Course in Knox County and began the process of converting the property into a prairie and green burial site. This process, known as "succession" in ecological terms, is defined by the gradual change in habitat characteristics and species composition.
For more information about the Kokosing Nature Preserve, visit their website.
About green burial:
Green burial encompasses a range of practices that seek to "bury without impediment." There is no traditional embalming, no concrete vaults and biodegradable burial containers are used. Green burial cemeteries also commit to these values through the land management practices.
The Kokosing Nature Preserve is one of three sites in Ohio certified by the Green Burial Council as a conservation burial ground, which is the most rigorous category.
Research at the Kokosing Nature Preserve
While green burial is gaining in popularity, little research has been done to quantify the effects of green burial on ecosystem restoration. Our research is asking the following three questions:
1. How does the decomposition rate change across green burial plots of different ages?
We used the Teabag Index methodology, a globally used technique to compare nutrient dynamics across sites.
2. How does the plant and insect community at Kokosing Nature Preserve change across the site?
We quantified plant density and species richness. We expected that with more plants and more diverse plant communities, insect density and richness will also increase. Tracking the plant and insect communities across the site and across the summer will help us assess the restoration progress at the site.
3. How do plant and insect communities at Kokosing Nature Preserve compare to those in traditional cemeteries and restored prairies?
We are comparing the plant and insect communities at the Kokosing Nature preserve to a traditional cemetery site and nearby prairies. This comparison will help us assess the restoration progress at the site.
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Preliminary results indicate that plant cover, height, and density change after burials, but ultimately recover. These impacts of burials do not seem to translate to other ecosystem processes, like pollinator or nutrient cycling. As expected, the Kokosing Nature Preserve was more similar to a nearby prairie than a nearby cemetery. Grant Gerhardt '25 presented initial results at the Kenyon Research Symposium in October 2024. We continue to analyze the insect community at the Kokosing Nature Preserve and our comparison sites. |
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Collaborators: Grant Gerhardt '25 (pictured to the right), Catelin Bromfield '26
Read more! This research was featured in a Kenyon News article by Hoskins-Frame fellow Isabella Clark! Find the full article HERE! This research is supported by Kenyon's Sustainability Scholars Program. |
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Photo credits: Terry Thurston, Amy Henricksen, Don Comis