A natural burial is the interment of a body directly in the earth without embalming, concrete vaults, or metal caskets. The goal is simple: allow the body to decompose and return to the soil using only biodegradable materials. It’s both the oldest form of burial in human history and a growing modern movement, driven by environmental concerns and a desire for simplicity.
How Natural Burial Differs From Conventional Burial
In a conventional burial, the body is typically embalmed with chemical preservatives, placed in a hardwood or metal casket, and lowered into a concrete or steel-lined vault beneath the ground. These layers are designed to slow decomposition and prevent the ground from settling, but they also introduce non-biodegradable materials and chemicals into the earth.
Natural burial strips all of that away. There is no embalming. There is no vault or liner. The body is placed in a biodegradable container, or simply wrapped in a shroud, and buried so it can break down naturally. The process relies on the same microbial activity that decomposes any organic matter in soil, returning nutrients to the surrounding ecosystem rather than sealing them off from it.
How the Body Is Prepared
Without embalming, the body needs to be kept cool between death and burial. Refrigeration and dry ice are the most common approaches. Some families also use non-toxic, plant-based topical products to slow bacterial activity temporarily, though these aren’t strictly necessary if burial happens within a few days.
The absence of embalming fluid is one of the defining features of natural burial. Conventional embalming uses formaldehyde-based chemicals that can leach into groundwater over time. Skipping this step eliminates that contamination risk entirely and keeps the body in a state that allows healthy decomposition once it’s in the ground.
Caskets, Shrouds, and Other Materials
If you choose a natural burial, you have a wide range of biodegradable options. Caskets can be made from untreated pine, wicker, willow, bamboo, banana leaf, cardboard, or pandanus (a tropical shrub). Shrouds, which wrap the body without a rigid container, are typically made from wool, hemp, cotton, bamboo, or flax. Some people are buried with no container at all.
The key requirement is that everything placed in the ground will break down. No metal handles, no synthetic linings, no treated or lacquered wood. The materials are deliberately simple, which also means they tend to cost far less than conventional caskets. A wicker or pine casket might run a few hundred dollars, compared to thousands for a traditional hardwood or metal option.
Three Types of Green Cemeteries
The Green Burial Council classifies green cemeteries into three categories, each with progressively stricter standards.
Hybrid cemeteries are the most common and the easiest to find. These are conventional cemeteries that have set aside a section for green burials. In those sections, bodies aren’t embalmed, vaults aren’t required, and caskets can be made from biodegradable materials like pine or cardboard. Some allow burial in just a shroud. The rest of the cemetery operates conventionally, which makes hybrid cemeteries a practical option in areas without dedicated green burial grounds.
Natural burial grounds allow only green burials across the entire property. No embalming, no vaults, no non-biodegradable caskets. Landscaping promotes native vegetation rather than manicured lawns. Grave markers are typically restricted to natural elements like an engraved local stone, if anything at all. Bodies are often buried at 3 to 4 feet rather than the conventional 5 to 6 feet. The shallower depth allows more oxygen flow and exposes the body to a richer population of soil organisms, which speeds up decomposition significantly.
Conservation cemeteries take the concept furthest. They follow all the same burial standards as natural burial grounds but add a layer of permanent land protection. The property is placed under a conservation easement, a legal agreement that prevents the land from ever being developed. These cemeteries function as nature preserves, and burial fees directly fund the ongoing management of the habitat. Choosing a conservation cemetery means your burial site becomes part of a legally protected ecosystem.
What It Costs
Natural burial is generally less expensive than a conventional funeral. The savings come from eliminating embalming, using simpler containers, and skipping the concrete vault. A natural green burial can start around $2,000, depending on your location and the cemetery. By comparison, the median cost of a traditional funeral with viewing, burial, vault, and casket in the United States runs well over $7,000, and often considerably more.
The biggest variable is the burial plot itself. Conservation cemeteries in desirable natural areas may charge more for the plot, but you’re still likely to spend less overall because of the savings on materials and preparation. Shroud burials, which skip the casket entirely, represent the most affordable option.
Environmental Impact
Every conventional burial introduces non-biodegradable materials into the ground: steel, concrete, treated hardwood, synthetic fabrics, and embalming chemicals. Multiply that across the roughly 2.5 million burials that happen annually in the U.S. alone, and the cumulative footprint is substantial.
Natural burial eliminates all of those inputs. The body decomposes and its nutrients cycle back into the soil, supporting plant growth and soil health. In conservation cemeteries, the effect goes further. Burial fees fund habitat restoration and land management, and the conservation easement ensures the land remains undeveloped in perpetuity. Some conservation burial sites have become thriving wildlife corridors and native plant habitats.
Alignment With Religious Traditions
Natural burial isn’t just a modern environmental movement. It closely mirrors burial practices that have been central to Jewish and Islamic tradition for centuries. Jewish law has long required simplicity in burial: no embalming, a plain wooden casket or linen shroud, direct burial in the earth without vaults, and prompt interment, ideally within 24 hours. The Torah’s instruction, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return,” reflects the same principle that drives the natural burial movement today. Rabbinic authorities across denominations affirm that avoiding embalming, vaults, and ornate caskets honors the deceased and preserves the body’s integrity.
Islamic burial follows a similar framework, requiring the body to be washed and wrapped in a simple white shroud, then placed directly in the earth without a casket. For families in these traditions, natural burial grounds aren’t a departure from convention. They’re a return to it, in a setting that formally supports practices their communities have observed for generations.
How to Plan a Natural Burial
Start by finding a cemetery near you that offers green burial options. Hybrid cemeteries are available in most regions. Dedicated natural burial grounds and conservation cemeteries are less common but growing in number. The Green Burial Council and the Conservation Burial Alliance both maintain directories.
If you’re planning ahead, make your wishes known in writing. Specify that you don’t want embalming, note your preferred container or shroud material, and identify the cemetery or type of cemetery you’d like. Some families also choose to handle aspects of the burial themselves, such as washing and dressing the body or lowering the casket, which is permitted in most states. Check your state’s laws on home funerals and direct burial, as regulations vary. Many states don’t require embalming at all, though some funeral homes may present it as standard practice.