Green Burial – can I be buried in my woodland?
“Green burials” of various sorts are increasingly popular - many people want to escape from what they perceive to be the conveyor-belt experience of some crematoria and the impersonality of cemeteries and churchyards. Many people also find established funeral rituals are not right for them. More positively, woodland burials or green burials are seen as friendlier to the environment and more natural than cremations.So, if you have your own woodland and you plan to keep ownership in the family, requesting to be buried in the woods can be very appealing.
What are the practicalities of a green burial?
Burial or spreading of ashes in your own woodland will not usually create any problems. In the case of the burial of a body, the Environment Agency advises in its document ‘Funeral practices, spreading ashes and caring for the environment’:
• The site should be more than 30 metres from any spring or any running or standing water. It should also be more than 10 metres from any ‘dry’ ditch or field drain.
• The site should be at least 50 metres away from any well, borehole or spring that supplies water for any use. If you are not sure where these are, our local office will be able to advise you.
• When preparing the grave, make sure there is no standing water when it is first dug and that the grave is not dug in very sandy soil.
• There should be at least one metre of soil above and below the body after burial.
If you are burying a body, rather than burying ashes from a crematorium, the hole you dig needs to be quite deep.Ideally it should be two metres, which will take quite a while to dig – you probably need to leave at least half a day.You can alternatively use a mini-digger.
Do I need special permission for a green burial?
You do need permission from the owner of the land, but you don’t need to obtain planning permission or to contact the local Environmental Health Officer or the Department of Health or the Environment Agency.
Where can I put a grave?
You should be practical in deciding where you want to dig the grave – sandy soils can be dangerous to dig to any depth and you probably don’t want any live burials! Rock is obviously a problem and digging too near to big trees will be difficult because of their roots. Many people find that being so much involved in the practicalities helps with the grieving process. It is advisable to keep a good record of where the burial site is located and keep the record with the paperwork for the property.Many people like to plant a memorial tree next to the grave, which is also a good way to record where the body is.
How much does a green burial cost?
Green burials vary enormously in cost - from about £200 to about £2,000, but the average cost is about £700. What should you put the body in?You can use a traditional coffin which a few undertakers will sell direct to you or you can buy a cardboard coffin for about £60- £90, but many people like willow coffins.These can be found by googling “willow coffins”, and cost about £450 to £550.Bamboo coffins are also available. Of course, these alternatives can also be used for a more traditional funeral.
You may find that in exploring beyond the standard options of cremation or burial in a cemetery or churchyard, many people will try to talk you out of the alternatives, but there is a trend towards publicly available green burials as the following figures demonstrate. Today there are about 200 green burial sites, ten years ago there were only 50, and twenty-five years ago only one such site. Of these sites well over half are run by local authorities, a few by charities and about 60 by farmers or businesses.
Have you buried a relative or friend in a green burial? We’d be interested to hear your experiences. Have you any questions or comments to add below?
Comments are closed for this post.
Discussion
Hi everyone,
I’m writing an article on green burials and was wondering if anyone would be so kind as to share their experiences/plans of a green burial with me?
Gemma
Hi everyone,
I live in Derbyshire in the beautiful Peak District in the north of England. I own a 1+ 1/2 acre field and a 13 acre hill. I’m thinking of burying my dad (when he dies) either on the field or on the hill. Are there any authorities etc. that I should inform or do I just hire a JCB and get on with it?
All comments welcome.
Jimmy
Anyone know if you can be cremated on a natural pyre in the open?
[…] burials on a grand scale ~ by Dick In the UK, we tend to think of woodland burials as a very informal and personal thing. On a recent trip to Sweden, I visited a woodland graveyard […]
I’m about to bury my grandmother this way and as you recommend, I think a mini digger is the way forward for the actual digging as I’ve seen them using that down the local cemetary. But does anyone have any tips on what type/ size of digger is most appropriate for the occasion? I’ve been looking at the mini digger hire section of the erento site, but there’s so many to choose from. Any guidance much appreciated.
Cheers
Jerry
I buried my long term partner last week in a wood land site at fenwick scotland.At first I was apprehensive and unsure,I walked the site alone the day before and felt great peace.No doom or gloom,just a lovely view and the sound of birdsong.I recommend it.A perfect resting place for him and myself to follow on.Be warned wellie boots may be necessary,but thats nature at her best!I didn’t do it for the money saving aspect,I did it because I truly believe it is more personal and peaceful.
It is a while ago I first left a comment. Since this time our burial ground has been very well received. We have to date taken 17 burials and also sold 25 plots for the future.
Of the 17 burials only 3 have followed a church service, all the rest have held a ceremony at Higher Ground Meadow, some with religion but mostly not. 2 families have chosen to deal with proceedings entirely on their own and just used a funeral director to look after the deceased until the funeral day, these have both been very special occasions with great love and respect shown. I find great pleasure in owning this burial ground, you may think that a strange comment, but it is so rewarding to see how pleased families are that their loved ones are in our beautiful countryside and they then have a special place to come to and remember them.
Please can i have a total cost of a woodland buriel, all inclusive.
I purchased a piece of land next to a small cemetary, for the purpose of a private graveyard for me and my family. Does anyone know if I would still need planning permission for a headstone?
Cheers
Phil
There is a green burial site in Ketton in Rutland, quite close to Stamford. Called Ketton Park Green Burial it is a very appealing site. Can be contacted on http://www.greenburial.co.uk.
Are there any places in the tyne and wear area for natural green burrials. I like the idea o a green burriaal instead of a cemetary.
At the Natural Death Centre here in the UK, we offer help and advise on all the above topics. We also run the Association of Natural Burial Grounds helping landowners and organisations open new burial sites. We provide a ‘watchdog’ monitor service, campaign to promote alternative and green funerals and run a helpline. In fact it was the NDC that started the whole ‘natural burial’ movement back in the early 90’s.
There are now well over 200 sites throughout the UK with more opening every year.
Please contact the Natural Death Centre for any guidance.
I have just come across a woodland burial place in Wales
[…] where it is acceptable, which are mostly to do with water courses. Ah, yes, here’s some guidance: http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/cons…n-my-woodland/ http://tinyurl.com/ayk4do • The site should be more than 30 metres from any spring or any running […]
Dorset is such a beautiful County. Where better to have a site for a woodland burial.
Does anyone know if it is the same in Scotland etc? I do not want to be buried in the church yard, and live on 3 acre croft so I’m sure I can find a spot somewhere!
Andrew
Good news for those seeking a natural burial ground in Dorset. We will be opening our 12 acre site in the late spring of 2009. The area is a long established old hay meadow so mostly we will be offering meadow burials. The grounds have wonderful panoramic views over the Dorset and Somerset countryside.
Our web site is not live at the moment (6-11-08) but will be soon.
http://www.highergroundmeadow.co.uk here you will see a slide show showing the wild flowers and the views.
We specialize in environmentally friendly wicker willow coffins or biodegradable caskets.(Online http://www.wovenwickercoffins.com ) Our coffins support the weight attains 300 KG,all of them are environmental protection.We have about ten kinds of different styles,our coffins are protected by a Patent of the China republic.
The wicker can be easily biodegradable,and friendly with environment.As more and more families and communities look for eco-friendly solutions to everything in life, we provide fitting tributes to those choosing to honor their environmentally conscious lifestyle at the time of their death.
We already had experience of export the American market.
Each one of our coffins has been beautifully and caringly hand woven by one of our skilled basket makers, making each coffin unique and special.
Wicker is one of the few truly environmentally renewable resources. Our wicker products are hand made in china from material grown and cropped in licensed plantations.
We are a green funeral company. We’ve arranged several burials on private land in the North West (UK)
See http://www.naturalendings.co.uk/index.asp
If you need any help please get in touch.
Rosie Grant
Natural Endings Funeral Services
So am I correct in understanding that I can be buried on any land as long as I am given permission by the land owner? I live in Arizona.
The modern concept of natural burial began in the UK in 1993 and has since spread across the globe. According the Centre for Natural Burial, http://naturalburial.coop there are now several hundred natural burial grounds in the United Kingdom and half a dozen sites across the USA, with others planned in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and even China.
A natural burial allows you to use your funeral as a conservation tool to create, restore and protect urban green spaces.
The Centre for Natural Burial provides comprehensive resources supporting the development of natural burial and detailed information about natural burial sites around the world. With the Natural Burial Co-operative newsletter you can stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the rapidly growing trend of natural burial including, announcements of new and proposed natural burial sites, book reviews, interviews, stories and feature articles.
I would like to buy woodland to provide a green burial site in my locality. I am not sure where to start with the legalities of such a venture.I would like to provide a totally environmentally friendly service. I noticed that you cannot put up any signs by the roadside-is there any way around this part of the code of practice?
Would you be able to give me any further contacts who might be able to help me?I live in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
I represent a company that offers green burials (native woodland) and would like to clarify a few points on natural burial. I notice that there is no mention of the risk that future owners might seek to exhume and relocate/cremate the remains. This often gets overlooked at the time of grief and is worth considering as it can be devastating to have to go through the upheaval of finding a further resting place for a loved one”.
Hi Gemma, I’m from the previous post, send me your email and I’ll tell you of my experience when I bury my dad, everything is in place now, just waiting for his big day.
Jimmy [email protected]
Jimmy
9 February, 2012