A natural burial is the return of a body to the earth as simply as possible. Bodies are not embalmed, but wrapped in a biodegradable shroud or placed in a simple casket and buried in protected green space.

It's a way of combining an eco-friendly interment with land conservation.

Natural burial grounds are spreading, fast. Started in Wales in 1991, there are now more than 225 sites opened or planned, large and small, scattered across the United Kingdom. There are more than twenty sites in the US, with twenty more in development. In Canada, there are currently three sites: Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria, British Columbia, Union Cemetery in Cobourg Ontario, and Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton Ontario, with more in the planning stages.

More and more of these burial grounds are appearing because they are allowing many people to fulfill their wishes to be buried in beautiful natural places. They want the option for the expense of their funeral to go towards establishing and preserving natural spaces, rather than mahogany caskets, formaldehyde and marble markers.

Natural Burial:
Caring for the Environment in Death as in Life–and Leaving a Legacy of Land Preservation »