Going back to nature for funerals

10 March 2009 - Going back to nature for funerals. Why are farmers turning some of their land into burial grounds? Why are increasing numbers of people choosing a meadow or a tree as a memorial, rather than a headstone in a churchyard or cemetery? Researchers from the University of Sheffield are hoping to address these questions at special public event as part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Festival of Social Science. Natural burial is often thought of as a green option that takes place in the countryside for non-religious people, but according to researchers at the University, that is only part of the story. They have discovered that lots of different approaches to natural burial have evolved since 1993 when the first site was opened, and that they cater for people who want a more informal setting in keeping with the person they want to remember. There are now over 200 natural burial grounds across the UK ranging from extensions to local authority cemeteries to sites owned by charitable trusts or private individuals. The research, which was funded by the ESRC, is looking at the range of services on offer and the wider impact of natural burial both on the people involved and the landscape. The researchers have already visited 20 sites and are continuing to interview managers, bereaved people, funeral professionals and members of the local community.