Choosing a natural burial ground

Making any decision after a bereavement is far harder than if thoughts and plans are made before hand, when shock, grief and the pressure of time are not an issue.

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To find your nearest natural burial ground please click here

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There are two basic types of natural burial ground

The truly natural, nature reserve grounds where non- embalming is a requirement and coffins have to biodegradable. Then there are those where a tree is planted but no other environmentally friendly rules apply.

Sites can be mown wild flower meadows, field sites where new woodland is being established, set within existing woodland or more manicured parkland settings. Within these there is great variety regarding the management styles, allowed memorialisation and planting policies.

What are your priorities

Before choosing a site you should decide what the desired priorities are for you and /or the deceased. Whether a tree planted on the grave, for example, is critical.

Many councils are now setting aside corners of municipal cemeteries as "green or woodland burial areas". This is in response to the demand for this option and provides valuable local choice. However the majority of these sites are approached through the conventional cemetery area and are aesthetically not what some families are looking for or have imagined.

Ask the NDC

You are always welcome to phone us here at the NDC to get a more detailed picture of each burial site, and other related options.

Above all the most important thing to do is communicate with your family, whether you are thinking about your own resting place or looking at options for others. As stated above if decisions are made in advance that is one less stressful process left to the one making arrangements.

Talk to the burial ground operator

Clear communication with the burial site operator is also very important to enable you to have total understanding of how the site is managed and maintained now and in the future. For example some families organising a winter time funeral may not appreciate that the wildflower meadow at some sites is only cut once a year, this can come as an unwelcome shock in July when it is up to their chests.

Visit before the funeral

We also recommend that you make contact with the manager of your chosen site and try to visit the site before a funeral. This will help establish an important relationship and the site manager might explain things that the funeral director alone may not appreciate. Plus you may be able to choose a grave position and talk through the site's plans for the future and get to know more about the wildlife that you can see there.