ASHFIELD — Eternal Roots, a business looking to provide green memorials on a nearly 270-acre property at the base of Mount Owen, will reopen its previously closed public hearing with the Conservation Commission on Wednesday following various concerns from local residents.
The commission had previously closed the hearing and was approaching potential approval of the company’s proposed operations before being confronted by an abutting property owner who claimed the company’s notification to abutters was inadequate. Conservation Commission Chair Phil Lussier said the hearing could only be reopened at Eternal Roots’ discretion.
“We were prepared to make a decision on their application when the abutter raised some concerns,” Lussier said of the commission’s Feb. 9 meeting plans. “Following Open Meeting Law, once the hearing is closed … we couldn’t even respond to those complaints.”
Eternal Roots’ website explains its plan for the Mount Owen property, parcel No. 8502 on Conway Road (Route 116), is to develop a “memorial forest reserve” where people can “return (their) ashes to the base of (their) own memorial tree” as “a natural return to the Earth” while leaving “a lasting legacy by helping conserve the forest.”
“The mission of Eternal Roots is to offer an uplifting alternative to a cemetery while conserving forestland,” founder Gavin Yerxa said in a statement.
Lussier said while the company was required to file a notice of intent, it did not need to elaborate on what details it shared in letters to abutters. Intended letter recipients were unable to produce receipt of their notification, as is typically expected.
Residents have raised concerns regarding the company’s aim in communication to abutters, the potential environmental impact of its practice, and the validity of its forest conservation mission. Mary Johnson, an environmental consultant and founder of Ashfield’s Regenerative Farms, criticized Eternal Roots for not applying “by the books” and misleading residents.
“I feel like this is sort of a greenwashing and a marketing scam,” she said, arguing that the land is not at risk of deforestation due to the proximity of protected wetlands that would disqualify the parcel for development.
Johnson also argued that the company didn’t appropriately show it had studied the chemical composition of cremated human remains, which she said contains extremely high pH levels that would damage the environment.
“The main issue is most people think this is like wood ashes,” she explained. “These are cremation remains, which is a totally different chemical composition.”
Another environmental concern to arise was Eternal Roots’ potential encroachment on protected wetlands terrain. The company’s notice of intent proposed creating a driveway over a small section of wetlands to give access to the non-wetland forested property. The Conservation Commission, whose roll it is to protect wetlands, was about to vote on whether the notice met “performance standards” under the state’s Wetlands Protection Act before abutter concerns were raised, according to Lussier.
Yerxa, who said he decided to reopen the hearing out of respect for these concerns, assured residents the company is doing its due diligence to protect the environment.
“We are working with forestry, ecology and hydrology experts to ensure that our project has a positive environmental impact,” he said in a statement. “Through our process, we will mix ashes with larger amounts of local soil, helping ensure that the pH balance of the soil remains healthy for surrounding plant life.”
Additionally, Yerxa reinforced the idea that Eternal Roots will benefit forest conservation by explaining its plan to actively contribute to growth.
“We intend to partner with a conservation organization to place a conservation restriction on the nearly 270 acres of land, ensuring that the forest remains protected in perpetuity,” he wrote. “We are developing a forest stewardship plan to ensure the property is managed responsibly. And for every memorial tree chosen, we will plant additional trees to encourage reforestation across the country.”
Yerxa believes his efforts to publicly communicate these intentions were adequate.
“We believe that our notifications were thorough and complied with the guidelines set out by the commission,” he wrote. “However, upon learning that at least one abutter did not receive the notification, we took the steps to reopen the hearing.”
In addition to needing Conservation Commission approval, potential approval of the company’s “proposed use” — the spreading of cremated remains — is currently being considered by the Ashfield Planning Board, Yerxa said.
Wednesday’s virtual hearing will start at 7:35 p.m. during the Conservation Committee’s 7:30 p.m. meeting. To view the agenda and Zoom login information, visit bit.ly/3v6JO68.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.