
Vermont
In Vermont, the land itself feels like an invitation to slow down, to breathe, to listen, and to belong. Known for its deep woods, winding streams, and strong environmental ethic, Vermont has long understood the value of living gently on the Earth. It’s only natural, then, that this understanding now extends into death.
🌿Vermont Forest Cemetery - Roxbury, VT
Deep in the heart of the Green Mountains lies Vermont Forest Cemetery, the state’s first forest cemetery is a 56-acre woodland dedicated entirely to natural burial. Here, the trees, soil, and wildlife are the caretakers, and every burial becomes a quiet act of reciprocity between people and the land that sustained them in life.
Unlike manicured lawns or rows of headstones, Vermont Forest Cemetery rests in an upland mixed hardwood forest, where maples, birches, and ferns define the landscape. This isn’t just a place to lay the body, it’s a living ecosystem. Over time, the body nourishes the soil, becoming part of the forest itself. Graves are chosen with intention, blending naturally into the terrain, and simple markers of native stone serve as quiet reminders of the lives once rooted here.
At Vermont Forest Cemetery, families don’t just attend a burial, they take part in it. Loved ones are encouraged to help open the grave, carry the body, lower it by hand, and fill the grave with earth, accompanied by the support of compassionate staff. These shared, physical rituals bring healing and presence, transforming what’s often seen as somber into something profoundly connective and sacred.
🌿Higher Ground Conservation Burial - Williamsville, VT
Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Vermont, Higher Ground Conservation Burial offers more than a final resting place, it’s a community woven into the living forest. Part sanctuary, part movement, this sacred woodland honors both the human spirit and the wild land it rests upon.
Higher Ground’s story begins with Pam, a longtime steward of the land, who wished to “become one” with the forest she helped protect. When she died, her winter burial among the trees became the seed of what would grow into Vermont’s newest conservation burial ground. Months later, her dear friend Rupa joined her, carried to her resting place by flute, drum, and the hands of over 100 friends who danced, sang, and returned her to the soil. Their stories became the foundation for Higher Ground, a place where the line between life, death, and land blurs into unity.
In the wake of those first burials, a group called Caring for Our Own was born, neighbors and friends exploring home funerals, natural burial, and how to care for one another in both life and death. Today, they meet monthly (both on Zoom and on-site) to share wisdom, stories, and stewardship of the forest. It’s a living example of community-based deathcare, where the same people who hike, plant trees, and clear trails also tend the graves and support the grieving.
Located on unceded Abenaki territory, the 5-acre burial area sits within a larger protected forest managed with a deep respect for ecology and heritage. Mature oaks, birch, and ash trees form the canopy; trails wind gently through mossy slopes and ancient “pillows and cradles” where trees once fell centuries ago. Every burial here is natural, no embalming, no vaults, no metal, and every interment supports ongoing forest restoration, soil enrichment, and biodiversity.
Vermont’s green cemeteries remind us that death need not disturb nature, it can complete it. Each resting place here is part of a larger story of conservation and community stewardship, ensuring that the hills, forests, and wildflowers that cradle the dead today will continue to shelter life for generations to come. 🌲
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!
New Paragraph










