What Is A Green or Eco Funeral?

Natural burials (also known as eco funerals or green burials) take place in a woodland, meadow, or nature reserve rather than a traditional cemetery.

They are beautiful, peaceful places, all with a unique character and setting.

What is a natural burial?

A natural burial is simply a burial in a natural environment, without anything artificial or chemical that may change the natural process of the body breaking down and returning to the earth. You may also hear natural burials called ‘eco burials’ , ‘green burials’ , ‘woodland burials’ or ‘eco-friendly burials.’

What is a natural burial ground?

A natural burial ground is of course a place where people are buried, but what makes it different to a traditional cemetery is that the burial ground is managed to create a rich and diverse habitat for flora.

Flowers and wildlife to flourish. After the burial ground is full, it will be sustainably looked after in the long-term to continue to provide this environment. This is often mentioned in the natural burial ground’s prices – a Trust contribution or ‘future maintenance fund.’

How much does natural burial cost?

This varies considerably based on where the green burial takes place, and who owns the burial ground. Some are privately owned, some are council owned, and some have greater running costs of the land and facilities. In our experience they are significantly less expensive than a traditional burial though, and you don’t have to factor in the cost of a headstone.

Why choose a natural burial?

• You want to make an eco-friendly choice. Green burials are arguably the most environmentally friendly choice, and most sites only permit caskets and shrouds made of natural materials (wicker, cardboard, wool, unvarnished wood, etc).
• Natural burials are generally less expensive than traditional burial in a cemetery. They are also not restricted by which borough you live in – everyone pays the same fee unlike council-owned cemeteries.
• For a more peaceful, calm, and gentle experience. Being in a natural environment can lower levels of stress and anxiety. If children are attending this can especially make a huge difference to their early experiences of funerals.
• Visiting a grave at a natural burial ground is a very different experience to visiting a cemetery – it could be going for a walk-through woodlands or having a picnic next to a lake.
• It is more eco-friendly than cremation (which emits harmful gases).
• To have a tree planted on the grave is a beautiful way to contribute to the future of the environment and will not need maintenance like a headstone.
• Cemeteries in the city can feel crowded and this will only increase as space runs out. At a natural burial location there are no headstones to crowd the landscape, a whole orchard or forest can feel like the memorial to your loved one.

Why A Natural Burial Might Not Be The Right Choice

• You want a permanent headstone to mark the grave. Some natural burial sites allow small, eco-friendly grave markers (usually made of wood) but some do not allow any kind of memorial at all.
• You want future generations to be easily able to find the burial plot. Although burial locations are recorded by the site, there will be some map reading involved if you don’t know exactly where it is. Finding an eco-burial plot is not as easy to find as being able to read a headstone.
• You want your loved one buried as close as possible to where you live.
• Your choice of casket contains plastic or synthetic materials.
• You wish for the person being buried to be embalmed – this is forbidden for all natural burial grounds.
• An eco funeral isn’t right for you – you feel more comfortable with something traditional.

Can I be buried in a coffin at a green burial site?

You can be buried in anything biodegradable at a natural burial site. This might be a coffin or casket, or a shroud. Biodegradable materials include wood, willow, wicker, wool, bamboo, or banana leaf. See some of these options here.

Can I have a natural burial in London?

Most natural burial sites are in rural locations and require a car to access. However, there are some beautiful sites you can visit by public transport and still feel like you are miles away from the city. They are smaller than a rural natural burial ground. We always recommend visiting multiple places before deciding.