
Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in soul. From rocky coastal bluffs to inland forests and salt marshes teeming with life, the Ocean State has always held a deep respect for its natural landscapes. That reverence is beginning to extend into death care, as more Rhode Islanders seek ways to return to the earth gently, without chemicals, concrete, or excess.
🌿Prudence Memorial Park - Prudence Island, RI
Nestled on Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay, Prudence Memorial Park offers Rhode Island’s only dedicated green burial ground, a place where nature, reverence, and renewal meet. Certified by the Green Burial Council, this conservation-focused cemetery restores an ancient practice: returning the body to the earth gently and naturally.
At Prudence Memorial Park, every burial is designed to minimize environmental impact. No vaults, concrete, metal, or toxic embalming chemicals are allowed. Bodies are wrapped in biodegradable shrouds or placed in simple wooden caskets made by local craftspeople. Even the act of digging a grave is done with care for surrounding root systems, preserving the integrity of the landscape.
While cremation remains popular, the park reminds us that it comes with an environmental cost, from fossil fuel consumption to emissions released into the air. In contrast, natural burial at Prudence Memorial Park allows the body to decompose naturally, nourishing the soil and supporting local biodiversity. Cremated remains may also be buried or scattered thoughtfully among native plants or incorporated into the stone foundations of the property.
Permanent markers here are simple, engraved native field stones laid flush to the ground, and loved ones may plant approved native species to honor those buried. Each grave is precisely recorded, ensuring that every resting place remains known and protected even as the land returns to a natural state.
Prudence Memorial Park stands as a model for what sustainable deathcare can be: reverent, restorative, and responsible. By choosing this form of burial, families help conserve the island’s ecosystem while creating meaningful, enduring memorials rooted in the beauty of Rhode Island’s coastal landscape.
🌿Swan Point Cemetery (hybrid) - Providence, RI
Peaceful and private, The Ellipse is surrounded by a variety of mature trees and shrubs. In place of individual monuments, a granite ledger for communal inscriptions of names of the deceased is located in the area’s center to best preserve its natural setting. Every grave space in The Ellipse allows for one full body burial or two sets of cremated remains. Both full body and cremation interments take place without the use of any type of permanent outer container.
If you live in Rhode Island and wish to see natural burial offered locally, consider starting conversations with existing cemeteries about creating hybrid sections. Often, the path begins with a single request, asking if they can accommodate burials without vaults or embalming, and using biodegradable caskets or shrouds. It’s a simple question that opens doors for change.
In the Ocean State, where land and sea meet in an eternal exchange, it’s only natural that more Rhode Islanders are looking to make their final rest part of that same beautiful cycle. ⚓🌾
If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!
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