What is Natural Burial?

Natural burial at its essence is full body to earth burial without impediments to the natural process of becoming soil.

To achieve this goal, the following four elements are required:

• Burial at 3.5 to 4 feet to ensure aerobic microbial conditions
• Absence of concrete, fiberglass, or other non-biodegradable outer burial container or vault
• Absence of embalming or invasive chemical preservation
• Use of only organic materials for encasing the body, such as linen, cotton, hemp or wool shrouds, or pine, soft wood, seagrass, willow, or other plant-based coffins

What to Know About NH Natural Burial

Protecting New Hampshire's Open Spaces
Natural burial is being welcomed on conservation lands, providing families with pristine environments in which to remember their loved ones while supporting the preservation of intrinsically valuable land in perpetuity. One goal is to reduce the amount of steel, copper, and exotic woods that are housed in concrete in the ground through conventional burial, and toxins emitted into the atmosphere. Burial in New Hampshire's cemeteries is reclaiming land previously lost to non-biodegradable and polluting materials. Natural burial on lands dedicated to responsible stewardship adds a permanent protection not even cemeteries enjoy on their own.

Making Natural Burial Affordable in NH
In a survey of ten municipal NH cemeteries that offer natural burial space and post their pricing online conducted January 29, 2025, the average price of a lot for residents in NH was $360, ranging from $125 to $600. Opening and closing fees, corner markers purchase and installation, and perpetual care fees, when required, are usually, but not always, additional. The average price of a right to bury in a natural burial grounds will vary according to availability, location, and the maintenance needs of the cemetery. Natural burial grounds are not necessarily as or more expensive than church or municipal cemeteries, and many are deliberately setting prices that are realistic to increase accessibility for all. What does or doesn't go into the grave does not determine the price of the burial right itself.

Protecting New Hampshire's Soil and Waterways
Of all the fears surrounding natural burial, water and soil contamination are top list for many people. The reality is that a family of four flushes an estimated 100 times the amount of nitrates in one day than one body emits during the course of its entire burial. Microbial communities begin their work immediately in situ. Burials are situated well away from seasonal water tables for the one-to-two months of active absorption and conversion of tissue to soil. Natural burial grounds have to follow the same safety setbacks from water, highways, and buildings as any other cemeteries in the state by statute (see NH RSA 289 below), regardless of what does or doesn't go in the ground with the body. The impact on soil is positive, supercharging it with nutrients from our bodies. The rare bits that are not usable by microbes, fungi, or plant roots are isolated and bound, rendering them harmless. The items that have been proven by studies to cause harm—leaching metals, chemicals, glues, and more—are not used in natural burial. (See The Science Behind Green Burial, Does Conservation Burial Harm Ground Water? and Research on Water Quality Regarding Natural Burial​ for more information.)​

Protecting New Hampshire's Wildlife
Due to the depth of natural burials, compounded by the mounding of displaced soil on top, woodland animals are unlikely to be attracted to natural burial graves. The initial smell barrier of 18 - 24 inches, plus the mound, is more than enough to keep animals from smelling anything, and no NH wildlife are capable of digging that far for such a poor reward. They much prefer live prey and above-ground hunting. To date, the only reported animal disturbances in over 450 cemeteries since their inception in 1997 have been skunks looking for grubs in freshly dug soil. Animal corridors are identified through ecological assessments and natural resource inventories performed on properties when determining best practices and ideal locations for burial. (See Eco-Documentation List ​for what to look for.)

Creating Natural Burial Spaces in Local Cemeteries
There are no impediments to natural burial in New Hampshire other than those posed by local cemetery bylaws. New Hampshire mandates that each town provide burial space for its residents. We elect trustees and commissioners each year to run our cemeteries, and they make the rules. Though not ideal for many people who are seeking a natural burial, local cemeteries sometimes allow vaultless hybrid burials that serve the citizens who pay for their upkeep.  Many people choose their burial space due to a sense of place; they want to be associated with the people and places they loved during their lifetime. Providing natural burial in hybrid cemeteries is a service each cemetery could provide to its own citizens. Incidentally, funeral directors in NH are prohibited by law from owning or operating cemeteries due to conflict of interest concerns. All cemeteries formed in NH must be one of the following: municipal; religious or ecclesiastical; nonprofit corporation; nonprofit association; private family. (RSA 289:2 Municipality to Provide, RSA 289:6 Cemetery Trustees.)

Establishing a Private Family Cemetery
According to NH RSA 289, New Hampshirites may bury on their own property if they meet the following rules:

• The deceased must be a relative—you are creating a private family burial ground, not a public cemetery. (RSA 289:1, I Definitions)

• The burial must be recorded on the property deed upon transfer (real estate disclosure when the property is sold).  (RSA 289:3 Location)
• ​A public right of way must be submitted to the town offices (a handwritten map with a parking spot, walking trail, and the gravesite marked on it is sufficient) (RSA 289:14 Right of Way to Private Burial Ground). If the property owner doesn't do this, the Select Board has authority to do it upon request by anyone who wishes  to walk the property to the gravesite in the future.

• The burial must be located 100' from any dwelling, store, school or business. (RSA 289:3 Location)

• The burial must be located 50' from known water sources and state highways.  (RSA 289:3 Location)
• The cemetery must comply with any local zoning ordinances that may exist. Check with your local zoning board.
• The newly established cemetery must be reported to the Municipal Cemetery Trustees to update their inventory. (RSA 289:5 Cemetery Records)