If the idea of being pumped full of chemicals and sealed in a lacquered box doesn't sit right with you, you're not alone. Natural burial is a simple, low-impact way to be buried, where your body goes back into the soil the way nature intended and helps grow a native forest in the process. It's been an option in New Zealand since 2008, and there are now natural cemeteries from Whangārei to Invercargill.
The short version. Natural burial means no embalming, a biodegradable casket or shroud, a shallow grave and a native tree instead of a headstone. Around 20 councils have certified natural burial areas, and a plot costs roughly $1,500 to $7,600 depending on where you are. If it's what you want, write it down, because your family can't choose it for you if they don't know.
What is natural burial?
Natural burial (sometimes called green or eco burial) is about putting nothing in the ground that doesn't belong there. The guiding rule is nothing synthetic, so the body breaks down naturally and feeds the soil, and the land around it is replanted with native trees and plants. Over time, the cemetery turns back into bush.
The idea took off in the UK in the 1990s. Here, a group of New Zealanders set up the charity Natural Burials in 1999, and in 2008 they helped open Wellington's Mākara Natural Cemetery, the first natural cemetery in a city outside the UK.
How is it different from a regular burial?
- No embalming. Instead, the body is kept cool. At home, chilling gives you about a week; a funeral home's chiller gives you longer.
- A biodegradable casket or shroud. No metal, no composite board, no plastic lining. There's actually no law that says you need a coffin at all, so a simple shroud works too. Most natural cemeteries want caskets that are certified by Natural Burials.
- A shallower grave. Natural graves are dug into the top, living layer of soil where decomposition happens fastest, ideally with the bottom of the grave around 750mm down, much shallower than a regular grave.
- A tree, not a headstone. A native tree is planted on or near the grave. At Mākara, for example, there's a simple wooden post and plaque with your name on it, which isn't meant to last forever, and the exact spot is recorded on the council's map.
- Nothing artificial on the grave. Plastic flowers, ornaments and solar lights are a no. The bush is the memorial.
Where can you have a natural burial?
In New Zealand, only councils can run cemeteries, so natural burial areas are usually a section of an existing council cemetery. These are the ones certified by Natural Burials, with their combined plot and burial fees as of August 2025:
| Where | Cemetery | Plot + burial |
|---|---|---|
| Whangārei | Maunu | $4,142 |
| Auckland | Waikumete | $6,570 |
| Thames-Coromandel | Omahu Natural Burial Garden | $2,635 |
| Hamilton | Forest Grove | $4,435 |
| Whakatāne | Hillcrest | $3,519 |
| Taupō | Taupō Public (Rickit St) | $1,455 |
| Hastings | Mangaroa | $4,950 |
| New Plymouth | Awanui | $7,207 |
| Whanganui | Aramoho | $2,530 |
| Kāpiti | Ōtaki | $3,805 |
| Wellington | Mākara | $2,779 |
| Carterton | Clareville | $3,400 |
| Marlborough | Fairhall | $7,596 |
| Nelson | Marsden Valley and Wakapuaka | $4,867 |
| Tasman | Motueka | $2,800 |
| Buller | Orowaiti | $2,292 |
| Christchurch | Diamond Harbour and Yaldhurst | $4,846 |
| Ashburton | Ashburton District | $3,477 |
| Dunedin | Green Park | $4,758 |
| Invercargill | Eastern | $3,355 |
There are other natural burial areas too that aren't certified, so if your area isn't listed, ask your local council.
Aucklanders: Waikumete Cemetery in Glen Eden has a natural burial area set in regenerating native bush, with thousands of native trees planted and a planting day for families every autumn. The council says plots are still available.
What does it cost?
The plot and burial fee is the big one, and as you can see above it varies a lot, from about $1,500 in Taupō to more than $7,500 in Marlborough. For comparison, a regular plot usually costs $1,500 to $3,000 plus $600 to $1,200 to dig the grave, so natural burial isn't automatically cheaper on the plot itself.
Where you can save is everything else. There's no embalming, no headstone and no need for a heavy hardwood casket, and a simple certified casket or shroud costs a lot less than a fancy coffin. Things to budget for on top of the plot:
- A certified casket or shroud
- A funeral director, if you use one (you don't have to, but most people do)
- Out-of-district fees, if you didn't live in that council's area, plus extra for weekend burials
Prices change, so treat these as a rough guide and check with the council or your funeral director for an actual quote. If money's tight, Work and Income's Funeral Grant can help eligible families with costs.
Do you need a special funeral director?
No, but it helps. Natural Burials certifies funeral directors who know the rules and can arrange everything properly, including members of the Eco Funerals network. In Auckland, State of Grace is on their certified list. Some families also choose to do much of it themselves, like caring for the body at home, which natural burial suits well.
Things to think about
- You probably can't pick your spot. Many natural cemeteries fill plots in order, so you can't choose a view. Check whether you can buy a plot ahead of time.
- No visiting a headstone. Your people will visit a patch of bush, not a polished stone. For some that's beautiful; for others it's hard. Talk it through.
- Ashes usually aren't accepted. Natural cemeteries are for bodies, because ashes don't break down into the soil in the same way.
- Culture and faith. Some traditions have firm views on how the body is cared for and buried, so it's worth talking with your whānau, iwi or faith leader. If you'd be buried at an urupā, that's a conversation for your marae.
- Timing. Without embalming, things need to move a little quicker, so it helps if your wishes are already sorted.
- The law is old. Our burial law dates from 1964, and the Law Commission has recommended changes, including allowing cemeteries not run by councils. Until that happens, the options are mostly council-run.
How to choose it
- Decide it's what you want, and tell your people.
- Check which natural cemetery is closest to you, and whether you can buy a plot ahead of time.
- Write it in your plan (DED. has a spot for exactly this) or your will, including any details like a shroud or a home vigil.
- When the time comes, your people let the funeral director know it's a natural burial, so the body isn't embalmed.