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The first 100% natural burial cemetery in Maryland

Honoring life, preserving nature.

Welcome to Serenity Ridge Natural Burial Cemetery, founded on the belief that our community deserves a simpler, more natural burial option, accessible to all. We offer a ‘green’ or natural burial cemetery, nestled within our nature preserve, as an alternative to conventional burial, providing compassionate care to individuals and families as they navigate the transitions of life and death. It is our intent to provide meaningful experiences for families and friends amidst the careful restoration and maintenance of the land and its inhabitants, both above and below ground.

Please contact us at 240-NATURAL (240-628-8725), or send us a message to learn more or get started.

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Return to a simpler, more natural tradition.

Prior to contemporary conventional cemeteries where graves are marked with uniformed rows of polished granite headstones or flat bronze memorials, there were natural burial grounds. There was no such thing as chemical embalming, varnished caskets with fancy linings, or concrete vaults. Natural or ‘green burial’ is a return to those traditions that provide a simple, less wasteful, non-toxic means of dedicating one’s physical form back to the earth to rejoin the soil with dignity and with minimal environmental impact.

Benefits of natural burial

Natural burial pays special attention to returning the body back to the earth in a safe way that is simple and natural, allows for greater family interaction, and is a more reasonable cost compared to conventional burial.

Environmentally-Friendly

Natural burial aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitats.

Simple

The loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult times in life, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can still honor your loved one without the overwhelming details and costs.

Affordable

Put your loved one to rest at a fraction of the cost of conventional burial.

Choice

An alternative to the current standard form of burial that is friendly to all aspects of a person’s life and to their memory.

Sun shining through branches in a forest

Our Values

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Respect
for rituals that create meaning, including all traditions

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Sustainability
both environmentally and operationally so that future generations may benefit from our work

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Honoring
the earth and recognizing the importance of caring for her in how we bury our dead

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Leadership
in making certifiable, sustainable death-care practices available to all

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Dedication
to preserving the environment

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Integrity
in all aspects of our operation by holding ourselves to the highest standards

What exactly does natural burial look like?

Hover over different parts of the diagram below to explore how natural burial works.

Standard Burial

Standard burials typically use formaldehyde embalming, long-lasting caskets, concrete vaults and pricey headstones.

Diagram comparing conventional burial to green burial

Natural Burial

The natural, or green, burial allows for only a biodegradable casket, shroud or urn which can help avoid the use of toxic chemicals, metal, and protects wildlife habitats and native plant communities. The depth of the grave is 3.5-4 feet, to stay inside the oxygenated portion of the ground, which aids in natural decomposition. Typically, there is no embalming, although the Green Burial Council allows specifically identified plant based fluids to be used.

Comparison of Potential Environmental Benefits and Costs

Copyright Dr. Billy Campbell and Lee Webster, 2024

Method	Net Carbon Footprint	Full Expenditure	Amount of Leftover Product for Disposal	Land Acreage Protected	Enviro Costs or Benefits
Natural Burial (Conservation Burial)	Sequesters 25 lbs CO2 per burial, 10 tons per acre	Transportation to the cemetery	0	Unlimited Strategic component of a complete land conservation plan	Land protection Nutrient contributions to soil communities
Human Composting	Indeterminate greenhouse emissions	Sowing, watering, harvesting, processing, transporting of alfalfa, wood chips, bulking agents to facility; storage Construction, heating, cooling, maintenance of facility and its operating units Transporting of finished material	300-500 pounds of leftover material 10-15 lbs pulverized bone (calcium phosphate and sodium, 11.8 pH, 200 – 2000 x what plants can tolerate)	0	Materials acquisition Facility maintenance Trucking of leftover materials Smothered plant and soil communities in surface disposal Restoration of depleted soil if intentionally tilled or incorporated
Alkaline Hydrolysis	150 to 200 lbs CO2 per person Most AH waste will be turned into carbon and nitrogenous GHG by public wastewater treatment facilities	Electricity or propane to heat 100 gallons of water under pressure 3-12 hours Processing and transportation of potassium hydroxide (lye)	100-300 gallons of effluent 10-15 lbs pulverized bone (calcium phosphate and sodium, 11.8 pH, 200-2000x what plants can tolerate)	0	Potential algae bloom from phosphorus run-off due to scattering Tree ringing (girdling) from burial close to tree roots Disposal of effluent (no state EPA has permitting)
Flame Cremation	250 to 536 lbs CO2 emissions per person Mercury, particulate emissions into air and waterways	Up to 500 gallons of fuel, usually natural gas, to burn @ 1700 to 2000° for 3-4 hours	7-10 lbs pulverized bone (calcium phosphate and sodium, 11.8 pH, 200 – 2000 x what plants can tolerate)	0	Potential algae bloom from phosphorus run-off Tree ringing from burial close to tree roots Mercury poisoning of air and water

For research-based information on environmentally responsible disposition options, see:
Cremation Curious https://vimeo.com/767868604
The Natural Burial Experience https://vimeo.com/769978957

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Non-profit organizations that work with Natural Cemetery and our Nature Preserve

The organizations below help our nature preserve and also help educate the public about green burial and nature.

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Man and woman with arms around each other walking in a meadow

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Serenity Ridge?

Serenity Ridge, located in Windsor Mill, Maryland, is not only a natural burial cemetery but also a nature preserve and arboretum. We provide educational and recreational opportunities, offering events for the public to experience and enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature.

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