Natural burial asks one thing of a family. Whatever goes into the ground should be able to return to it, and the types of natural burial all grow from that idea. The Green Burial Council describes green burial as a return to how people have buried their dead for generations.
Each type comes down to a handful of choices, and you don’t have to settle any of them in a single sitting. We’re Serenity Ridge Natural Burial Cemetery, Maryland’s first 100% natural burial cemetery, and we’re Green Burial Council certified. What follows takes those choices in the order they usually come up, so you can see the whole picture before you talk with anyone.
What Are the Types of Natural Burial?
Natural burial comes in two forms: whole-body burial and burial of cremated remains. Three choices shape either form: the container, the ground, and the marker.
The council says the word green covers three benefits. They are a lower carbon footprint, conservation of land, and protection for workers who would otherwise handle embalming chemicals. Its standards cover whole-body burial at a cemetery.
Each choice carries a few details worth knowing, and the sections ahead take them in turn, starting with what goes into the grave.
What Can Go Into a Natural Grave?
Everything in a natural grave needs to break down in the soil, so we don’t permit vaults or embalming fluid. The Green Burial Council points out that the law rarely requires embalming. Metal, plastic, and other synthetic materials stay out as well.
If it can return to the earth, it belongs in a natural grave.
That single test guides every container we accept.
Shrouds, baskets and caskets for whole-body burial
We accept shrouds and caskets for whole-body burial, and both come in natural materials.
- Shrouds of wool, cotton, linen or silk, carried on a rigid board
- Caskets of pine, bamboo, or another soft wood, with no metal accessories
- Wicker caskets, woven much like a basket
Some cemeteries pair a shroud with a casket for the processional and lowering. The council adds that each cemetery sets its own container requirements, so a container chosen for one may not suit another. It also certifies that the finishes, adhesives, and dyes on its certified products release no toxic byproducts into the ground.
We’re a cemetery rather than a funeral home, and our services begin at the cemetery gate. A licensed funeral home handles transportation, burial permits, and death certificates. It also supplies the casket or shroud.
Biodegradable urns for cremated remains
Cremated remains can rest in a natural grave too, in a biodegradable urn. We set aside 2′ x 2′ lots for them. Our protocols call for a biodegradable urn inside a biodegradable bag, no larger than 10 inches in each direction.
We don’t allow scattering. A funeral home that works with green burial can coordinate the cremation and help with the urn. Families choosing cremation can also purchase a native fieldstone memorial, placed flush at the head of the site.
What Kinds of Burial Ground Are There?
The Green Burial Council recognizes three kinds of green cemeteries, and each sets aside its land differently.
Hybrid, natural and conservation cemeteries
The council describes them this way:
- Hybrid cemeteries sit inside an existing cemetery, prohibit vaults and toxic chemicals, and keep funds for long-term care.
- Natural cemeteries devote designated land to natural burial, restrict access to sensitive areas, and limit memorial markers.
- Conservation cemeteries operate on an easement or land trust, and burial fees help fund land preservation.
The Conservation Burial Alliance keeps a chart of conservation grounds. The chart pairs them with partners such as land trusts and conservancies.
The settings at Serenity Ridge
We offer three settings, and each has its own character. The Valleys & Meadows offer rolling hills and native fields. Inspiration Point is wooded and closer to the forest, and Founders Hill is a hillside of meadows and views.
Which one feels right is a personal call, and standing on the ground tells you more than any description can. Our team can confirm which settings take each type of burial.
What Marks a Natural Grave?
At Serenity Ridge, a native fieldstone set flush with the ground marks each natural grave. Upright monuments are typically absent from green cemeteries.
Native stone and GPS mapping
Our stones are locally quarried native fieldstone, inscribed with a name and dates of life. Each one lies flush at the head of the grave. Families can buy a native stone memorial through us, or from an outside vendor that meets our specifications.
Marker policies vary from one green cemetery to the next. The Green Burial Council’s FAQ lists GPS coordinates and flat native stones among the acceptable markers. Some cemeteries use a single cenotaph at the entrance instead of individual markers. We keep electronic records of precise burial locations, so the exact spot is always on record.
Trees and planting
Families can’t plant flowers or trees on graves, since planting disrupts the natural environment. The Funeral Consumers Alliance notes that most green cemeteries forbid or limit personal plantings and many memorial decorations, from flowers and wreaths to flags, chimes, balloons and toys. Fresh cut flowers are permitted year-round.
Families who want a tree in the story can join a volunteer planting event. Serenity Ridge’s approach to memory trees explains how those events serve both memory and the health of the land.
What Falls Outside Natural Burial?
Aquamation and human composting sit outside the Green Burial Council’s standards, which cover whole-body burial at a cemetery. We don’t offer aquamation, human composting or mushroom suits, because our services begin at the cemetery gate. Families weighing them against natural burial can find our comparison posts on the Serenity Ridge blog.
How Do You Choose Among the Types?
Start with whole-body burial or cremated remains, since that answer narrows every other choice. Three steps carry you from there to a decision:
- Decide between whole-body burial and burial of cremated remains, since that choice sets the container and the size of the site.
- Choose the shroud, casket, or urn that suits that decision, and work with a funeral home to supply it.
- Visit the grounds, meet with one of our staff on site by appointment, and pick the setting that feels right.
The table pulls the choices together in one place.
Your Choices in Natural Burial
| Choice | What’s available | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Container for a body | Shroud, wooden casket or wicker casket | No vaults or embalming fluid, and no metal, plastic or synthetic materials |
| Cremated remains | 2′ x 2′ lots with a biodegradable urn | We don’t allow scattering |
| Setting | Valleys & Meadows, Inspiration Point, Founders Hill | Our team can confirm which settings take each type of burial |
| Marker | Locally quarried native fieldstone, inscribed and set flush | Native stone that meets the cemetery’s specifications |
| Trees and planting | Volunteer planting events | Families can’t plant on graves |
Nothing in the table needs a decision in a day, and a visit can come before any of it. Once you’ve made your choices, the day itself comes next. Our post on what a natural burial ceremony looks like at Serenity Ridge shows how a service can unfold outdoors among the trees. When the graveside service ends, our staff complete the closing of the grave.
Choosing What Fits Your Family
Natural burial leaves a family real room to shape the day, and the container, the setting, and the marker are all yours to choose. The few rules we keep, such as no vaults and no planting on graves, exist to protect the natural ground. The clearest next step is a visit, and we’d be glad to talk through which choices fit your family.