Essential Tasks for Natural Burial
Transportation from place of death
Transportation from a hospital to either your home or a funeral home.
Check your state regulations for any additional documents required.
Care of the body
The body will require a cool environment, like refrigeration in a funeral home or packed ice at home.
The body will also need washed, dressed, and shrouded or placed in a burial container.
Documentation
A Death Certificate is obtained at the Dep. of Vital Statistics, signed by a physician, and filed with your county Registrar.
A Burial Permit is obtained at the registrar's office after filing the Death certificate.
Transportation to the burial site
Funeral Homes will offer transportation and may charge by the mile outside of a certain radius.
You are allowed to transport the deceased yourself, but you need the Burial Permit to do so.
Day of Burial Service
Gather
All funeral parties will gather at The Wilderness Center’s Interpretive Building. A member of the Foxfield Preserve staff will lead a procession to the cemetery by vehicle. A short walk from the parking area to the gravesite will follow. Please notify the Foxfield Preserve staff of anyone needing accommodations to get to the gravesite.
What the gravesite will look like
As you approach the gravesite, you will notice the following:
A wide area surrounding the grave has been cleared for your comfort during the service.
The grave depth is 3.5-4 feet, and inside will be a bed of soft pine boughs and flowers.
A depth of 6 feet is not required, nor is it done in conventional cemeteries. This depth is appropriate for the natural decomposition process and meets all state requirements.
Three boards will be placed over the grave, and lowering straps will be laid across. This is where your loved one will be placed for the service. The straps will be used to lower when the family is ready.
An earth mound, decorated with fresh florals and pine. This will be used to tuck your loved one into the earth.
Honor
At Foxfield Preserve, we believe in allowing friends and family the space and creativity to honor their loved ones in a way that reflects the values the deceased held in life. All ceremonies are welcome, including all religious, military, or secular services.
There are a few steps that the Foxfield Preserve staff will step forward and assist with:
Our staff will assist pallbearers in placing your loved one on top of the grave.
Our staff will guide pallbearers in lowering the casket or shrouded body into the grave.
When ready, our staff will encourage all attendees to gaze into the grave and place flowers or pine into the grave. Then, staff will encourage attendees to ceremonially place either a handful or shovelful of earth back into the grave. This begins the closing of the grave.
Foxfield Preserve staff is honored to hold space for your friends and family to close the grave entirely by hand. If this is not desired, we will finish closing by machine after all attendees have left. Families and friends are encouraged to stay for as long as they desire, but if Foxfield staff is closing the grave, we respectfully ask attendees to return to The Wilderness Center until we have finished so staff may be dismissed.
After the grave is filled, a mound will be present and slowly flatten with time. The clearing will last several weeks, but the gravesite will return to its natural state. A memorial stone and native planting are permitted.
Woven caskets can be purchased from artisans or wholesalers. Willow, bamboo, and seagrass are commonly used. Credit: Larkspur Conservation Cemetery
Wooden caskets can be purchased from artisans, wholesalers, or made by hand. Wooden caskets should be free of glues, finishes, and non-biodegradable materials. Metal fasteners and hardware are not preferred, but are acceptable if necessary. If you are thinking of designing your own casket, please confirm specs with Foxfield Preserve.
Shrouds are a natural fiber cloth used to wrap a loved one for burial. These can be purchased from artisans, wholesalers, or homemade. All shrouds should have a wooden support inside to stabilize the body. If you are considering making your shroud, contact Foxfield Preserve for guidance.
Cardboard caskets are affordable, accessible, and compact. Many families will choose to purchase a cardboard casket from the funeral home and bring it home prior to a death, then they will take turns writing messages, coloring, or painting with non-toxic paints. A cardboard casket is a blank slate for creativity and love. Photo Credit: Carolina Memorial Sanctuary.
All caskets or shrouds will require designs that can support the weight of the decedent. Certain conditions of the decedent may require different containers, please discuss options with Foxfield Preserve or your funeral director if you have concerns.