Green Burial Options in California (2026): Natural Burial Grounds, Hybrid Cemeteries & Prices

Families who search green burial California are usually trying to solve something very practical: how to honor a loved one with a lower-impact burial plan without creating extra stress for the people left to carry it out.

Eco-minded choices are becoming more common across the U.S., and many California families want a plan that aligns with those values while staying logistically straightforward.

If you want a quick primer on definitions and certification, start with Funeral.com’s Green Burial Guide. This article focuses on what California families typically need: cemetery types, key rules, and how to budget and vet providers in 2026.

The cemetery types you’ll encounter in California

When you see phrases like green burial options California or green cemetery California, translate them into categories. The Green Burial Council uses definitions that can help you separate a truly natural burial setting from a conventional cemetery that offers only partial “green” features.

A natural burial ground California option is designed around natural decomposition. You typically see no vault requirement, biodegradable containers (including shrouds and simple wood caskets), and clear limits on what materials go into the ground and what remains above it—this is the closest match for families searching natural burial California.

A hybrid cemetery California option is a conventional cemetery that offers a natural or green section. Hybrid sections can be a strong fit when your family needs a familiar cemetery setting but wants greener rules in the section you purchase.

Conservation burial California is a more specialized model tied to long-term land stewardship; availability is location-specific, so verify current options through the Green Burial Council cemetery provider map.

What makes a burial “green” in California

Green burial is a set of choices you can verify. In California, cemetery policy often matters more than state law, so the most useful approach is to confirm what the state requires, then confirm what the cemetery requires in the specific section you are choosing.

First, the question most families ask: embalming required for burial California. California’s consumer materials make the baseline clear—the state does not require embalming, and the person with the right to control disposition must accept or decline embalming on a Bureau-approved form. That guidance is explained in the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau consumer guide.

Next, vaults and liners. Searches like vault requirement green burial California usually come down to one thing: a cemetery’s section rule. Natural burial grounds typically avoid vaults because they impede soil contact. Conventional cemeteries may require vaults for maintenance reasons. Ask for the vault or liner rule in writing for the exact section you plan to use. If you are trying to create a more eco friendly burial California plan inside a conventional cemetery, this single policy often determines how “green” your plan can be.

Then, containers. Families often compare biodegradable casket California options with shroud burial California. What you can use depends on the cemetery. A practical starting point is Funeral.com’s guide to biodegradable caskets and eco-friendly coffins, which explains materials and the questions to ask before you buy anything.

Finally, paperwork. California typically requires a Permit for Disposition of Human Remains (often called a burial permit or disposition permit) through the local registrar. The Cemetery and Funeral Bureau outlines the process, and county vital records offices often publish public instructions (for example, San Diego County burial permits).

How to find and vet a natural burial ground or hybrid green section in California

Searching green burial near me California can produce a lot of marketing language quickly. Start with a directory that distinguishes cemetery types, then verify section-specific rules directly. The Green Burial Council cemetery provider map is a reliable place to begin.

Once you have a shortlist, these questions prevent most surprises:

• Is the green option a dedicated section with written rules, and do those rules apply to the space we would purchase?
• Is a vault or liner required in that exact section?
• Which containers are permitted (including shrouds), and are there material restrictions (finishes, glues, metal fasteners)?
• Can you provide itemized pricing for space, opening/closing, and administrative fees?

If it helps to visualize what this can look like, several California providers describe their offerings publicly. Fernwood Cemetery in Marin County outlines its green burial areas (Fernwood). In Los Angeles, Hollywood Forever describes its Ancestral Forest Project and notes hybrid certification (Hollywood Forever). In Southern California, the Masonic Cemetery Association of Fallbrook describes its green burial offering and notes Green Burial Council hybrid certification (Fallbrook). In Northern California, Morgan Oaks describes a green burial cemetery model serving California families (Morgan Oaks).

California pricing: what “green burial cost” usually includes

There is no single statewide average for green burial cost California or natural burial cost California. Costs vary dramatically by region and cemetery inventory. The most reliable approach is to ask for itemized pricing and compare line items. Green burial can reduce costs tied to vaults and embalming, but California cemetery space and labor can still be substantial.

Cost component	What it covers	What changes totals
Burial space	Right to be buried in a specific location	Regional land costs and scarcity
Opening and closing	Excavation, setup, lowering, restoration	Terrain, access, staffing, scheduling
Vault or liner (if required)	Outer burial container	Often the biggest “green vs conventional” divider
Container (casket or shroud)	Approved biodegradable container	Shroud vs handcrafted biodegradable casket
Administrative fees	Recordkeeping and cemetery charges	Varies widely; request itemization

If you are also comparing burial with cremation, NFDA’s public statistics can provide a useful national baseline (NFDA statistics).

Eco-minded alternatives that matter in California

If a full green burial is not the right fit, many families choose cremation and then focus on lower-impact memorialization—such as biodegradable urns for earth or water ceremonies, or a small personal tribute through cremation necklaces and keepsake urns. If your family prefers a more traditional home memorial, you can also explore cremation urns for ashes and small cremation urns, then decide whether the urn will be displayed, buried, or used for scattering later.

For scattering, California’s rules are more explicit than many states. California State Parks explains that scattering in state parks requires written permission and references restrictions such as not scattering from bridges or piers and distance-from-shore limits for scattering “at sea” (California State Parks). If your plan involves burial at sea in federal ocean waters, the U.S. EPA describes the federal rule that cremated remains must be at least three nautical miles from land (U.S. EPA burial at sea guidance).

Alkaline hydrolysis California (often marketed as aquamation California) is regulated as “hydrolysis” in California, but availability is provider-dependent. The California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau publishes licensing materials for hydrolysis facilities (CFB hydrolysis facility application materials), which is a practical way to confirm how the option is defined and overseen.

Natural organic reduction California (often called human composting California) is another option families ask about. For 2026, the key point is timing: California’s regulatory framework for “reduction facilities” begins January 1, 2027, per the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau’s summary (CFB 2022 legislative summary). If this option matters to your family, treat it as a “confirm availability” item: verify whether any providers are operating under California’s framework and what the anticipated start dates are where you live.

Whichever path you choose, it can still support a green funeral California intention when the plan is consistent with your values and workable for your family—whether that means a certified green section, a simpler conventional burial, or cremation paired with a biodegradable or scattering plan.

Provider checklist for a California green burial plan

Cemetery checklist

• Confirm the cemetery type and the written rules for the exact section you plan to purchase.
• Confirm the vault or liner policy in writing.
• Confirm allowed containers and get itemized pricing for space, opening/closing, and administrative fees.

Funeral home checklist

• Confirm embalming is optional and ask about non-embalming care and refrigeration timelines.
• Confirm who handles the disposition permit and filings, and how transportation timing works.
• Request the general price list and a written estimate for your specific plan.

FAQs about green burial in California