What is a ‘green’ burial site?
There are currently approximately 166 registered green burial cemeteries and memorial woodlands in the United States. These are recognized natural burial sites, although some are hybrid cemeteries where both natural and traditional burials take place. A green burial cemetery is also sometimes called an eco-cemetery.
As we explained in our articles about ‘Green Funerals’ and ‘DIY Funeral Care’, a green burial is one in which the way of caring for the deceased is as natural, and has as little environmental impact, as possible. Therefore a green burial site is typically a wildlife conservation area or natural woodland area. Every effort is made to minimize the environmental impact of burial by reducing carbon emissions and ensuring no harmful substances or toxins are buried in the earth.
At a green burial site, only natural resources can be used for burying the dead, such as linen, bamboo, or wood, and no embalming is allowed. No ornate grave markers are permitted. Instead, a natural stone marker and GIS (Geographical Information System) technology are often used to identify gravesite locations. In some sites, an endemic shrub or tree may even be planted onto the gravesite.
Can I conduct a green burial on my own land?
In some states, you may conduct your own death care and even bury the deceased on your own land. State legislation for this differs for each state, so you need to refer to the law in your state. You can check our state funeral planning guides in our library section, which do highlight which states you are permitted to conduct a home burial and have a designated private cemetery on your own land.
How do I find a Green Burial Site?
There are also designated green burial sites, a directory of these are listed below by state.
New green burial sites are also being designated as green burial experiences something of a revival, so you may find that there are some new sites coming online.
Directory of Green Burial Grounds
(H) designates a hybrid cemetery
Alabama
Forest Lawn Memorials Gardens (H)
10000 Celeste Road
Saraland AL 36571
Phone: (251) 675-0824
Spring Hill Memorial Gardens (H)
600 Pierce Road
Mobile AL
Phone: (251) 639-0962
California
Forever Fernwood
301 Tennessee Valley R
Mill Valley, California 94941
Phone: (415) 383-7100
Hillside Memorials Park & Mortuary (H)
6001 W Centinela Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90045
Phone: (800) 576-1994
Joshua Tree Memorial Park
60121 29 Palms Highway
Joshua Tree CA 92252
Phone (760) 366-9210
Pleasant Hills Cemetery (H)
1700 Pleasant Hill Road
Sebastopol CA 95472
Phone: (707) 869-2842
Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery
4701 Marysville Blvd.
Sacramento CA 95838
Phone (916) 922-5833
Westwood Hills Memorial Park (H)
2720 Cold Springs Road
Placerville CA 95667
Phone: (530) 622-2223
Colorado
Crestone Cemetery-Natural Burial Ground
108 West Galena Ave.
Crestone CO 81131
Phone: (719) 256-4313
Connecticut
Wooster Cemetery (H)
20 Ellsworth Avenue
Danbury CT 06810
Phone: (203) 748-8529
Florida
Brooksville Cemetery (H)
Green Meadow Section
1275 Olmes Road
Brooksville FL 34601
Phone: (352) 544-5455
Eternal Rest Memories Park (H)
2966 Belcher Road, Dunedin, Florida 34698
Phone: (727) 733-2300
Glendale Memorial Park Nature Reserve
297 Railroad Avenue
DeFuniak Springs FL 32433
Phone: (850) 859 2141
Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, Conservation Burial, Inc. and Alachua Conservation Trust, Inc.,
7204 SE County Road 234, Gainesville, FL 32641
Phone: (352) 375-8739
Georgia
Honey Creek Woodlands
212 Highway 212 SW,
Conyers, GA
Phone: (770)483-7535
Milton Fields
1150 Birmingham Road
Milton GE 30004
Phone: (770) 751-1445
Hawaii
Valley Isle Memorial Park Cemetery (H)
105 Waiale Road
Wailuku Maui HI 96793
Phone: (808) 244-4911
Idaho
Mountain View Green Cemetery
3770 Lemhi Road
Leadore ID 83464
Phone: (208) 768-7095
Illinois
Roselawn Memorial Park (H)
1735 South Camp Butler Road
Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: (217) 525-1661
Windridge Memorial Park & Nature Sanctuary
Natural Burial Park
7014 S. Rawson Bridge Road
Cary IL 60013
Phone: (847) 639-3883
Indiana
Kessler Woods at Washington Park North Cemetery and Funeral Center (H)
2706 Kessler Blvd. West Drive
Indianapolis, IN
Phone: (317) 251-5959
Maine
Cedar Brook Burial Ground
175 Boothby Road
Limington, Maine
Phone (207) 637 2085
Rainbow’s End
Natural Burial Ground
48 Mill Creek Road
Orrington, ME 04474
Phone: (207) 825-3843
Maryland
Bestgate Memorial Park (H)
814 Bestgate Road
Annapolis MD 21401
Phone: (410) 841-6255
Massachusetts
Mount Auburn Cemetery (H)
580 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge MA 02138
Phone: (617) 547-7105
Michigan
Eagle Harbor Cemetery
Eagle Harbor Township Office
Hybrid Cemetery
321 Centre Street
Eagle Harbor MI
Phone: (906) 289-4407
Hebrew Memorial Gardens
26640 Greenfield Rd
Oak Park MI 48237
Phone: (248) 543-1622
Marble Park Cemetery (H)
Hybrid Cemetery
520 West Main Street
Milan MI 48160
Phone: (734) 439-5660
Mount Carmel Cemetery (H)
899 Ford Ave / Northline
Wyandotte, Michigan 48192
Phone: (734) 285-1722
Peninsula Township Cemetery
Hybrid Cemetery
13235 Center Road
Traverse City MI 49686
Phone: (231) 223-7321
Ridgeview Memorial Gardens (H)
5151 8th Avenue SW
Grandville, MI 49418
Phone: (616) 249-8439
The Preserve at All
Saints Cemetery
4401 Nelsey Road
Waterford MI 48329-1057
Phone: (248) 623-9633
Minnesota
Mound Cemetery of Brooklyn Center (H)
3515 69th Ave
North Brooklyn Center MN 55429
Phone: (952) 935-0954
Prairie Oaks Memorial Eco Gardens
Natural Burial Cemetery
8225 Argenta TrailInver Grove Heights MN 55077
Phone: (651) 300-5934
Missouri
Bellefontaine Cemetery (H)
Evergreen Glen & Hope Hill Prairie
4947 West Florissant Avenue
St Louis MO 63115
Gates to Heaven Cemeteries
255 Jackett Road
Seligman MO 65745
Phone: (417) 341-1800
Green Acres Cemetery
Natural Burial Cemetery
1400 South Hickory School Road
Rocheport (Columbia) MO
Phone: (888) 325-2653
New Hampshire
Monadnock Quaker Meeting
Friends Natural Burial Ground
3 Davidson Road
Jaffrey NH 03452
Phone: (603) 532-6203
New Jersey
Maryrest Catholic Cemetery (H)
770 Darlington Avenue
Mahwah NJ 07430
Phone: (201) 327-7011
Steelmantown Green Burial Preserve
101 Steelmantown Rd
Woodbine N.J. 08270
Phone: (609)-628-2297
Union Cemetery at Mays Landing
Natural Burial Ground
195 Route 50
Mays Landing NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-7571
New Mexico
Commonweal Conservancy
117 N. Guadalupe Street
Suite C. Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Phone: (505) 982-0071
New York
Ascension Garden St. Francis Meadow
1900 Pinnacle Road
Henrietta NY 14467
Phone: (585) 697-1122
Fultonville Natural Burial Ground
Upper Mohawk Street
Fultonville NY 12072
Phone: (518) 265-7577
Greensprings Cemetery
293 Irish Hill Road
Newfield, New York
Phone: (607) 272-4034
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Trinity Sec
2461 Lake Ave
Rochester NY 14612
Phone: (585) 458-4110
Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery (H)
2501 Troy Schenectady Road
Schenectady NY 12309
Phone: (518) 374-5319
Mount Hope Cemetery (H)
1133 Mt. Hope Ave.
Rochester NY 14620
Phone: (585) 428-7999
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (H)
Riverview Natural Burial Grounds
540 North Broadway
Sleepy Hollow NY 10591
Phone: (914) 631-0081
St. Peter’s Cemetery (H)
Peaceful Meadows
241 Broadway
Saratoga Springs NY 12866
Phone: (518) 584-2375
Town of Rhinebeck Cemetery
3 Mill Road
Rhinebeck NY 12572
Phone: (845) 876-3961
White Haven Memorial Park
210 Marsh Road
Pittsford (Rochester) NY 14534
Phone: (585) 586-5250
North Carolina
Forest Lawn Funeral Home Memorial Park and Mausoleum (H)
538 Tracy Grove Road
Hendersonville, NC 28792
Phone: (828) 692-9188
Green Hills Cemetery (H)
24 New Leicester Hwy
Asheville NC 28806
Phone: (828) 252-9831
Pine Forest Memorial Gardens
770 Stadium Dr.
Wake Forest NC 27587
Phone: (919) 556-6776
Ohio
Canton Cemetery Association North Lawn Cemetery
4927 Cleveland Ave. NW
Canton OH 44709
Phone: (330) 494-0641
Foxfield Preserve Nature Cemetery
9877 Alabama Avenue SW
P.O. Box 202
Wilmot, OH 44689
Phone: (330) 763-1331
Glen Forest Cemetery
US Rt 68 N
Yellow Springs OH 45387
Phone: (937) 477-0597
Preble Memory Gardens Cemetery
Conservation Burial Ground
3377 US Route 35 East
West Alexandria OH 45381
Phone: (800) 972-4476
Oklahoma
Green Haven Cemetery
PO Box 616
Stillwater OK 74076
Phone: (405) 747-9642
Woodland Memorial Park (H)
1200 North Cleveland Avenue
Sand Springs OK 74063
Phone: (918) 245-4142
Oregon
Estacada Cemetery District (H)
P.O. Box 1390
Estacada OR 97023
Phone: (503) 730-0142
Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery (H)
St Francis Section
333 SW Skyline Blvd
Portland OR 97221
Phone: (503) 292-6622
Oak Hill Cemetery (H)
88558 Oak Hill
Eugene OR 97402
Phone: (541) 689-7800
Riverview Cemetery (H)
8421 SW Macadam Ave.
Portland OR 97219
Phone: (503) 246-6488
Valley Memorial Park & Funeral Home (H)
3809 SE Tualatin Valley Hwy
Hillsboro OR 9712
Phone: (503) 648-5444
Pennsylvania
Green Meadow at Fountain Hill
1121 Graham Street
Fountain Hill PA 18015
Phone: (610) 868-4840
Highland Meadows at Oakwood (H)
600 North Oakland Avenue
Sharon PA 16146
Phone: (724) 346-4775
Paxtang Cemetery (H)
401 Kelso Street
Harrisburg PA 17111
Phone: (717) 564-2110
Penn Forest Natural Burial Park
118 Colorado St. Verona PA 15147
Phone: (412) 265-4606
West Laurel Hill Cemetery
215 Belmont Avenue
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
Phone: (610) 664-1591
South Carolina
Dust to Dust Green Burial Cemetery
205 Nulty Crossing
PO Box 277
Swansea SC 29160
Phone: (803) 568-5552
Greenhaven Preserve (H)
1701 Vanboklen Road
Eastover SC 29044
Phone: (803) 403-9561
Ramsey Creek Preserve
111 West Main Street
Westminster, South Carolina 29693
Phone: (864) 647-7798
South Dakota
Mt. Pleasant Cemetery Association (H)
2001 E. 12th St.
Sioux Falls SD 57103
Phone: (605) 339-4760
Tennessee
Elmwood Cemetery (H)
824 S. Dudley Street
Memphis TN 38104
Phone: (901) 774-3212
Texas
Countryside Memorial Park, Inc (H)
331 Cemetery Lane
La Vernia (San Antonio) TX 78121
Phone: (210) 828-1233
Eloise Woods Community
115 Northside Lane
Cedar Creek (Austin) TX 78612
Phone: (512) 796-5240
Ethician Family Cemetery
1401 19th Street
Huntsville, TX 77340
Phone: (936) 581-4302
Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery & Prayer Gardens (H)
330 Berry Lane, Box 3
Georgetown, Texas 78626
Phone: (512) 863-8411
Utah
Lakeview Memorial Cemetery & Mortuary (H)
1640 East Lakeview Drive
Bountiful, Utah 84010
Phone: (801) 298-1564
Virginia
Duck Run Natural Cemetery
3173 Spotswood Trail
Harrisonburg VA 22801
Phone: (540) 432-8650
Forest Rest Natural Cemetery
5970 Grassy Hill Road
Boones Mill, VA 24065
Phone: (540) 334-5410
Washington
Herland Forest
55 Windward Lane
Klickitat WA 98628
Phone: (509) 369-2000
Moles Greenacres Memorial Park
5700 Northwest Dr.
Ferndale WA 98248
Phone: (360) 384-3401
White Eagle Memorial Preserve
401 Ekone Rd.
Goldendale, WA 98620
Phone: (206) 350-7353
Woodlawn Cemetery (H)
7509 Riverview Rd.
Snohomish WA 98290
Phone: (360) 568-5560
Washington DC
Historic Congressional Cemetery (H)
1801 E Street, Southeast
Washington DC 20003
Phone: (202) 543-0539
Wisconsin
Circle Cemetery
PO Box 9
Barneveld WI 53507
Phone: (608) 924-2216
Greenwood Jewish Cemetery (H)
2615 W Cleveland Avenue
Milwaukee WI 53215
Phone: (414) 645-1390
Natural Path Sanctuary
The Farley Center
2299 Spring Rose Road
Verona WI 53593
Phone: (608) 845-8724
Prairie Home Cemetery (H)
605 South Prairie Avenue
Waukesha WI 53186
Phone: (262) 524-3540
Prairie Green Natural Cemetery
Greenwood Jewish Cemetery
2615 W Cleveland Avenue
Milwaukee WI 53215
Phone: (414) 645-1390
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