Currently, Tauranga does not have a city council-owned site specifically for natural burials.
Currently, Tauranga does not have a city council-owned site specifically for natural burials.
Natural burials have been made simpler for Tauranga and Western Bay residents wanting to bury their loved ones with minimal environmental impact.
Te Puna-based funeral home Hope Family Fuenrals has been certified by Natural Burials NZ and funeral director Eva Wolf said achieving this certification reflected the team’s dedication to providing families with meaningful choices that aligned with their values and priorities.
Natural burials differ from traditional practices by emphasising minimal environmental impact.
The process doesn’t involve embalming, which is often used to preserve the body. Instead, the body will stay in its natural state to avoid introducing chemicals into the soil, which will allow the body to break down much faster.
Helen Kirkham and her siblings had a natural burial for their mother Jen Kirkham in August 2024 at Hillcrest Cemetery in Whakatāne. Hillcrest is currently the only Bay of Plenty site that allows for natural burials.
Jen Kirkham had wanted a natural burial that took her Baha’i beliefs into account, which stipulated a burial no more than an hour’s journey from a place of death.
“It made perfect sense that a body should be wrapped in natural materials and placed in a shallow grave to return as quickly as possible to the soil and thus nourish new growth.”
She had asked her four children to read booklets she had gathered so they would know what to do when the time came.
“Details of caring for and preparing the body of a loved one were way outside all our comfort zones and experiences at the time and most of us avoided going into any kind of detail other than joking about it,” Kirkham said.
“The first hiccup in Mum’s planning was that there was no natural burial site in Tauranga, which meant travelling more than the requisite hour (according to Baha’i law) to natural burial spaces in Hamilton or more recently Thames and Whakatane.
“We think Mum approached the local council at that time, however, they said that there were no plans for such a burial space in Tauranga. She was furious with their short-sightedness.”
Hope Family Funerals cared for and prepared her mother’s body from the evening of her passing through to the burial and later memorial service.
Before Kirkham’s mother was laid to rest at Hillcrest, her grave site was bordered by nikau fronds and had been prepared in a grove of tall and established trees.
“We placed our mother’s coffin on gnarly manuka poles, which had been laid across the grave.
“We scattered camellias and leaves from her old garden on top of the coffin.”
After graveside prayers, the family lowered her cardboard coffin and took turns shovelling some of the soil.
“As we farewelled our mother, grandmother great-grandmother, we all agreed that the burial was beautiful and heartful, way beyond all of our expectations,” Kirkham said.
“We all agreed, that given a choice we too would prefer a natural burial — and perhaps we, too, should start lobbying our councils to set aside space for natural burials.”
Kirkham said her father Bill (William) had also died in 2024, but had chosen a more traditional church funeral and cremation.
Helen Kirkham's parents, Bill (William) and Jen Kirkham, both passed away in 2024. Her father, Bill, wanted to be cremated, and her mother, Jen, wanted a natural burial. Photo supplied
Anticipated community response
Eva Wolf from Hope said the funeral home believed the Tauranga community would appreciate having the option to choose a natural burial if that aligned with a person’s values.
Wolf said Tauranga did not have a council-owned site specifically for natural burials, with the nearest sites at Hillcrest, Omahu Cemetery in Thames, and the Forest Grove Natural Burial Area in Hamilton.
“We are also aware of plans for a dedicated natural burial area in Te Puke, which will bring this option closer to our community once operational.
“We also hope this will resonate with Tauranga City Council and that they might consider a local natural burial cemetery in the near future.”
Hope Family Funerals expected the demand for natural burials to grow, Wolf said.
Tauranga City Council significant reserves and environment manager Warren Aitken said if there were to be a natural burial site in Tauranga, it would be at Pyes Pa Memorial Garden, which is outside the city’s boundaries.
He said natural burials seemed to be becoming more popular as it was a more sustainable method that provided a better environmental outcome for future generations.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserves and facilities manager Peter Wilson said a burial site for the district would be at the Te Puke Cemetery on Dudley Vercoe Dr and was anticipated to be available from 2027/2028 onwards.
Community consultation earlier in the decade addressed burial options for the district and, of the 505 people who responded, 132 said they would like an option for natural burials.
Hope Family Funeral director Eva Wolf and the rest of the team: Oliver Marriner, Harley (the dog), Elise Williams, Dean Hughes, Lydia Burney, Alex Marriner and Tony Hope. Photo / David Hall
How a natural burial works
The environmental benefits of natural burials included supporting ecological restoration, reducing pollution, and contributing to the growth of native bush or forest, creating a “lasting natural legacy”, Wolf said.
A casket could be made of sustainable materials such as untreated wood or cardboard, or a body could be wrapped in a natural fibre shroud.
Bodies were buried in shallow graves in the active soil layer to maximise natural decomposition.
Wolf said a common concern is the idea that animals might dig up a body buried in a shallower grave.
“However, proper natural burial practices — such as burying at an appropriate depth and using biodegradable materials — ensure the grave is secure and prevent any disturbance by animals.”
Finally, a native tree would be planted on or near the plot, contributing to the creation of a permanent memorial forest or bushland.
“These practices contrast with traditional burials, which involve embalming, non-biodegradable caskets, and burial in a deeper, inactive soil layer,” Wolf said.
“Natural burials are gaining popularity due to increasing environmental awareness and a desire for simplicity and a return to traditional practices that honour the natural cycle of life and death.”
She said the funeral homeprovided clear, honest advice and support to ensure families felt informed and empowered to make decisions that align with their values, preferences, and budgets for all traditional and non-traditional funeral options.
Families preparing for a natural burial should know that the process emphasised simplicity and environmental sustainability, involving no embalming, the use of biodegradable materials, and the option to plant a native tree as a living memorial.
Wolf said water cremation was another environmentally-friendly option becoming more available globally.
Water cremation — also called Alkaline Hydrolysis — involves dissolving the body in an alkaline solution of potassium hydroxide and water, inside a stainless steel machine called a resomator. The process takes three to four hours.
This option will soon be available in New Zealand.
