Green Burial Council

Green Burial Council
Approved Standards and Practices for a
Natural Burial Ground

The Council recognizes two categories of "green" cemeteries; one for a "Conservation Burial Ground" and another for a "Natural Burial Ground." A "Natural Burial Ground" is a cemetery that encourages sustainable and ethical practices but does not involve an established conservation organization as long-term steward, and does not necessarily further a landscape-level conservation purpose.
  1. Land criteria. A Natural Burial Ground must:
    1. operate only in areas of the property where burial would not degrade the land; and
    2. utilize a deed restriction to prevent the cemetery from accommodating conventional burial.
  2. Start-up criteria. A Natural Burial Ground must:
    1. conduct a biological evaluation (at sites with or adjacent to land with known or suspected rare, threatened or endangered plant or animal species) so that burial will not harm plant and animal life
    2. develop a plan for limiting visitation to sensitive areas as well as policies for families who choose "back-country" or off trail burial; and
    3. compile an acceptable plant list (where revegetation is an issue) for every area or "zone" of the property where burial will take place.
  3. Operations and management criteria. A Natural Burial Ground must:
    1. develop a plan for using native plants and for rescuing locally rare plants
    2. develop a plan for dealing with unauthorized grave decoration and landscaping
    3. develop a "systems and operations" manual to be given to all staff members, contractors, and volunteers; and
    4. establish an endowment fund to ensure the long term maintenance of the land and its trail system by setting aside at least 4% of all burial sales.
  4. Burial criteria.
    1. No toxic chemicals are to be used in the bodies of decedents (except when embalming has been done against decedents wishes.)
    2. No vaults are to be used on premises (except when state law requires the use of vaults or it is necessary to accommodate winter burial.)
    3. Burial containers or shrouds must be made of biodegradable materials.
    4. Excavation and burial techniques/technology must minimize impacts on surrounding land and protect native plant diversity.
  5. Customer relations criteria.
    1. Information that might be misleading or is factually incorrect must never be given by representatives of the cemetery to members of the media or to the general public.
    2. Clients and families must be given the opportunity to be involved with the burial and ritual process so long as participation does not conflict with state law or with these protocols in form or substance.
  6. Criteria for a Natural Burial Ground with a funeral home on premises. A funeral home that operates on the premises of a Conservation Burial Ground must also be approved by the Green Burial Council. Click here to see "Standards for a Funeral Home on a Conservation or Natural Burial Ground."