Helping protect natural habitats with World Land Trust

We’re very pleased to be partnered with World Land Trust to support their Buy an Acre scheme.

For every funeral or funeral plan we sell, we make a donation to World Land Trust to protect an area of natural habitat the size of an average UK back garden.

We do this via the Buy an Acre appeal, which works to prevent the threat of habitat loss impacting wildlife worldwide. Participating in these worldwide schemes helps us closer to home too, as when biodiverse habitat is protected globally the whole planet benefits.

In February 2025, we donated £39,950 which has allowed us to save nearly 400 acres of habitats under threat.

The Buy an Acre appeal currently protects land in Kenya, South Africa and Argentina.

Dakatcha Woodland in Kenya

In Kenya, the project protects the Dakatcha Woodland which is a key area for birds and other wildlife.

However, the region is threatened by commercial crop cultivation, illegal charcoal enterprises, poaching and rapid forest degradation.

Around 90% of coastal forests in eastern Africa have already been lost and Dakatcha woodland is home to species only found in a handful of places on earth.

Protecting the woodland unlocks sustainable livelihoods for local people.

Renosterveld in South Africa

The Buy an Acre appeal also supports the preservation of Renosterveld in South Africa.

This area of forest, woodland and shrubland is home to more than 500 plant species.

It is a critical breeding habitat for the Endangered Black Harrier, one of South Africa’s rarest birds.

The specific land protected by the appeal houses the richest concentration of bulb species on earth including orchids, lilies and irises.

Somuncurá Plateau in Argentina

The third project helped by Buy an Acre is the preservation of the Somuncurá Plateau in Argentina.

The appeal is creating the region’s first privately protected reserve for the species facing extinction that live in this crucial area.

Included within the reserve are streams home to the Critically Endangered El Rincon Stream Frog, found nowhere else on earth.

Other threatened species such as pumas, chinchillas, lizards and fish will also be protected.

Our own environmental initiatives

Ed Lane, Managing Director of Crematoria and Cemeteries at the Westerleigh Group, said of the partnership:

“We’re thrilled to be able to support the vital work World Land Trust is doing to protect habitats, breeding grounds and rare plants across our planet. We’re passionate about biodiversity, both in the 800 acres of our own crematorium grounds and further afield.”

As well as supporting World Land Trust as part of Westerleigh Group we:

Make our crematorium grounds a haven for wildlife with woodland, wildflower meadows, beehives, bug hotels and living roofs.
Invest in abatement technology to reduce mercury and nitrogen oxide released into the air from our cremators.
Consider the environment in all we do with energy-saving initiatives, sustainable suppliers and metal recycling.