Burying our dead is a simple act as old as human culture. A suitable place is chosen, the earth is removed, and a body is laid to rest. Many of us take comfort in the idea of our remains returning to the earth and rejoining the cycles of nature one day. Today, more and more eco-conscious Coloradans are considering this natural option as a meaningful way to give something back to the earth.

What is Green Burial?

We adhere to the standards of the Green Burial Council, which are designed to protect the local watershed and the quality of the native habitat in our cemetery.

• We can accept for burial only decedents who have not been embalmed (or only those embalmed with non-toxic, GBC-approved alternatives)
• The container, casket or shroud must be made only of natural, biodegradable materials
• No type of vault or outer burial container is required or permitted
• Some graves may be hand-dug to protect slow-growing plants
• Families may participate in the burial procedure

What about my funeral?

Funeral services can be as varied and diverse as the families that plan them. You can still have religious services, memorial services, celebrations of life, and memorial markers. Some families will choose to have a simple graveside service at Colorado Burial Preserve as their only gathering. Other funerals take place in churches, funeral chapels, private homes, etc., before coming together for burial service at CBP.

Discuss the options with the funeral home of your choosing, and be sure to let them know you have selected NO Embalming and a biodegradable container. In many cases, you can still have a private viewing.

Colorado law allows families to forgo a Funeral Director and conduct their own home funeral and burial service. You must file the death certificate with the county where the death occurred. Colorado Burial Preserve will not authorize any burial service until the Authority for Final Disposition permit has been issued by the CDPHE.

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