In Nature

In Nature

Situated on a long bluff with a panoramic view of the Hudson Valley, Oakwood Cemetery has one of the most beautiful natural settings of any rural cemetery in America.

The cemetery spans more than 282 acres, encompassing five small lakes, five waterfalls, wooded ravines, landscaped grounds and more than 10 miles of roads. This wonderfully varied landscape is home to abundant wildlife, including deer, red fox, waterfowl and more than 70 species of birds.

Oakwood Cemetery is one of the most botanically diverse locales in Rensselaer County. Within its boundaries are rocky ridges, prairie-like grasslands, deep shale ravines cut by falling streams, and woodlands of oak, hickory, maple and beech. These vast natural areas of Oakwood Cemetery retain the park-like setting that was intended by the Rural Cemetery Movement.

Botany enthusiasts delight in finding a wide array of plant species, including some of the rarest grasses in New York State. Many plants found at Oakwood are at the eastern or northern limits of their natural range, and the cemetery contains more western or southern botanical species than are generally found in this part of New York. Twelve State-listed rare, threatened or endangered native plants have been found at Oakwood. The 628 species of plants at Oakwood Cemetery have been collected and mounted at the New York State Museum.

Casual visitors to Oakwood will simply appreciate an opportunity to partake of nature's glory, and the beauty she reveals in every season.

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