Mapping nature burial in the Netherlands (2003–2023)

Natural burial has become a popular burial practice in the 21st century. Initially developed in the UK, this practice has since spread to various countries. Despite its growing adoption, comprehensive academic studies exploring the country-specific governance, cultural meanings, and developmental trajectories of natural burial remain scarce. Specifically for the Netherlands, there is a notable absence of systematic research detailing the development and current state of natural burial, or ‘nature burial’, as it is understood and practiced within this context. This paper addresses these gaps by presenting the first comprehensive overview of nature burial in the Netherlands. Through a systematic mapping of the existing nature burial sites, this study examines the concept and landscape of nature burial as it has emerged in the Dutch context between 2003 and 2023. It provides insights into the increasing demand for nature burial; the geographical distribution of sites; and the formal characteristics, rules, and regulations of different types of nature-oriented burial sites. By doing so, this research offers insights into an emerging funerary innovation and provides directions for future international comparisons in the study of natural burial.