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The following article appeared in the December 2005 issue of The Journal - the official organ of the British Institute of Funeral Directors

The Association of Natural Burial Grounds

An Introduction

The Association of Natural Burial Grounds (ANBG) was established by The Natural Death Centre in 1994. Its aims and objects have remained unchanged. It seeks to assist people in the process of establishing sites, to provide guidance to burial ground operators and to represent its members as a whole, and, not least, the Association has a Code of Practice for members thus providing the public with assurance as to long-term security.

The growth in provision of natural burial grounds is the source of much satisfaction. The opening of the first site was an innovative move by Carlisle City Council in May 1993. Twelve years later there are over 200 around the UK. There are, of course, considerable differences between many of them. Just over half are run by local authorities, the remainder being run by landowners such as farmers, charitable trusts and non-profit organisations. There are differences too in their plans for land management. Not all for example have tree planting schemes; most will sell plots pre-need but some will not. Of the 200 plus on The Natural Death Centre database the majority of privately-run sites are members of the ANBG together with some of those run by local authorities. There are as members sites as far afield as the Highlands of Scotland and the west of Cornwall. So what does the ANBG do?

For individual members the Association provides a source of help and guidance with regard to all planning and other regulatory hurdles. This can range from advice as to how to conduct public consultation meetings to introductions to specialist professionals in legal, land and property and ecological fields. The ANBG regularly advises members on matters as diverse as the percentage of plot sales income that should be put in a sinking fund for long-term land management to the availability of specialist funerary items. For the benefit of those sites that are already operational there is a regular newsletter covering everything from legislation to new suppliers that may affect or assist them in their day-to-day running of the business.

The ANBG can be particularly effective when it represents its members as a whole. It is a staunch supporter of their individualism, but sometimes their comparative lack of size in the wide commercial world would make them vulnerable if the ANBG were not there to "fight their corner". Over the last eighteen months I negotiated on their behalf with the Government's Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to establish a set of guidelines with regard to a new scheme for assessment of natural burial grounds for business rates. Prior to our negotiations the VOA had sought to treat natural burial grounds as cemeteries under another name. As a result of our lengthy dialogue there is now a published scheme which far more accurately reflects the finances of their situation. So successful was this united approach, with the benefit of my having collated data, that some sites have already seen their assessments reduced by as much as 88%. One, indeed, has been reduced to a nominal £1.

As a project within the compass of The Natural Death Centre, the ANBG itself is seen as the first port of call by many journalists seeking information on natural burial and the provision that is available. This gives the opportunity to stress a very important part of the ANBG's role: that of publishing, promoting and upholding the Code of Practice which its members adhere to and which is designed with the interests of the public in mind. The Code of Practice includes requirements concerning flora and fauna conservation, the use of biodegradable coffins, guarantees as to long-term financial security measures, the use of fully itemised price lists and a formal complaints procedure. It also recognises that members must allow families to organise a funeral themselves, without the services of a funeral director, if they so wish.

The principal means by which the public can find out about natural burial grounds in the area of their choice is via The Natural Death Centre's main publication, The Natural Death handbook and via the NDC telephone helpline. The lists published are comprehensive, but members of the ANBG are identified as such in the handbook and it is clear from feedback from the general public that many of them derive comfort from the knowledge of the standard which that requires.

The ANBG is a regular correspondent with various Government departments, not least the Home Office with regard to burial law and practice. Again, this is an area where responses to consultation papers give weight to the natural burial case where individual sites may struggle to be heard. The growth of the natural burial movement is pleasing, but there is no room for complacency. There is still much for the ANBG to do.

Michael Jarvis - ANBG Administrator