Natural burials are gaining popularity as a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial practices. Unlike conventional burials, which often involve embalming chemicals and non-biodegradable materials like metal caskets and concrete vaults, natural burials focus on returning the body to the earth in a way that honours both the deceased and the planet. One of the most beautiful aspects of a natural burial is the ability to plant a living legacy—a tree, flowers, or plants—over the burial site, offering a lasting tribute to the person while contributing positively to the environment. Let’s explore how natural burials can benefit the environment and why planting a tree or flowers can be a powerful and meaningful part of this process.
Reducing Environmental Impact: The Green Choice
Natural burials are inherently more environmentally friendly than traditional burial methods. The key difference lies in the materials used and the burial process itself.
- Biodegradable Materials: In a natural burial, the body is placed in a biodegradable casket, shroud, or wrapped in natural materials like wool or cotton. This allows the body to decompose naturally, unlike traditional caskets, which often include metals and synthetic materials that take years to break down.
- No Embalming: Traditional embalming involves the use of toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, which can seep into the ground and pollute water sources. With natural burials, embalming is avoided, making it a cleaner and more environmentally responsible choice.
- Minimal Carbon Footprint: Natural burial grounds typically avoid the heavy machinery used in conventional cemeteries for digging and maintenance, which helps reduce carbon emissions. Instead, these spaces tend to be more in tune with the natural landscape, with minimal disruption to the environment.
By choosing a natural burial, individuals can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and leave a minimal impact on the environment. Find out about Inspired Meadows and what they have to offer.
Reforesting and Rewilding: Creating a Living Legacy
One of the most compelling reasons for choosing a natural burial is the opportunity to contribute to reforestation and rewilding efforts, especially if trees are planted at the burial site.
- Planting Trees: Many natural burial sites offer the option to plant a tree over the burial site, which serves as a living memorial. Trees are crucial for absorbing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, and providing shelter for wildlife. By planting a tree, you are directly contributing to the improvement of the local ecosystem and helping to combat climate change.
- Supporting Local Ecosystems: In some natural burial grounds, native plants and trees are planted, helping to restore and maintain the natural flora and fauna of the area. These trees and plants not only help clean the air and soil but also create a sanctuary for local wildlife, including birds, insects, and small animals.
- Rewilding Projects: Some burial grounds are part of larger rewilding initiatives that aim to restore ecosystems to their natural, unspoiled states. By choosing a natural burial in these areas, you help support efforts to reintroduce native species and rebuild habitats that have been damaged by human activity.
In this way, natural burials go beyond just an eco-friendly burial method; they actively contribute to the restoration of nature, creating a beautiful and lasting legacy.
Biodiversity and Soil Health: Nourishing the Earth
A natural burial not only benefits the environment through tree planting but also plays a significant role in maintaining and improving soil health.
- Natural Decomposition: Unlike the embalming chemicals used in traditional burials, which can poison the surrounding soil, a natural burial allows the body to decompose naturally, enriching the soil with nutrients. As the body decomposes, it nourishes the earth with essential minerals, fostering healthy soil and promoting biodiversity.
- Supporting Wildflower Meadows: Many natural burial sites encourage the planting of wildflowers, which help to improve soil health and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Wildflower meadows are vital for supporting biodiversity, as they provide food and shelter for various species of insects, birds, and small mammals.
- Fostering a Healthy Ecosystem: By avoiding the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides, natural burial sites maintain healthy ecosystems where native plants and wildlife can thrive. The burial process itself contributes to a natural cycle of life and death, supporting the overall balance of the ecosystem.
As the body breaks down naturally, it helps improve the soil, making it richer and more fertile, and providing a nurturing environment for plants and animals to flourish.
What You Need to Find Out About a Natural Burial Location
The Type of Plot
Companies can offer different plots at their natural burial location. You want to make sure you can explore your options and see what suits your needs. There might be some that are more extensive in size or that have a longer ownership. Then, there can be additions you can make, such as adding flowers and trees. You want to make the place as special as possible for your own peace of mind and to help your family with mourning.
The Price
Of course, you have to ensure that you can afford this natural burial location. While they can be more affordable than traditional options, each location will vary. There are some meadows that are beautiful yet cost-effective, while some forest locations near popular parts of town can be expensive. Therefore, ask the company for a quote so that you know exactly how much you’re going to be paying. You can work out whether this is in your budget and if you want to spend this amount on your final resting place.
The Visitation
Do you want to ensure that your family can visit at any time? This is something that you want to inquire about in advance. You can ask about visitation hours and if there are any limits for your family members. After all, this is supposed to be a special place that they can visit in order to remember you. So, you want to ensure that they have some freedom.
Conclusion
Choosing a natural burial is a beautiful way to honour a loved one while benefiting the environment. From reducing the environmental impact of traditional burial practices to contributing to reforestation and biodiversity efforts, natural burials offer a lasting, positive legacy. Planting trees and flowers over a burial site not only provides a personal tribute but also contributes to a healthier planet. As we face the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, natural burials offer a way to return to nature and leave the earth a little better than we found it. By choosing this eco-friendly path, we can plant a legacy that will grow for generations to come.