Greetings from the Staff at Natural Burial New Mexico

Greetings from the staff at Natural Burial New Mexico.

We are concerned NM citizens who have developed La Puerta Natural Burial Ground, a 40-acre private, serene, conservation burial site at the base of the Manzano Mountains. Fully certified by the national Green Burial Council, our mission is to ensure low cost, environmentally sound, and respectful burial for all.

Natural burial is burial without embalming chemicals using a bio-degradable pine casket, natural fiber blanket, or burial shroud.

The average cost of a funeral in the United States is between eight and fifteen thousand dollars; causing hardship and undue stress on most families at a time of vulnerability and grief. At La Puerta Natural Burial Ground, with family involvement, a loved one can be laid to rest for $450 to $600.

Indigenous populations in New Mexico and throughout the United States, as well as most cultures and religions in the US and around the world, have followed natural burial practices for centuries. Prior to the Civil War and the development of embalming, natural burial was the norm in America. This right continues to be assured for all NM citizens. (In fact, the Catholic church encourages whole body burial, and did not sanction cremation until the 1980’s, with the directive to bury instead of scatter loved ones’ cremains.)

Families also have the right to transport their deceased loved ones from the hospital, care facility, or home following longtime NM statute Title 24-14-23. Family may also file the death certificate following NM Title 24-14-20.

We believe families who suffer the loss of a stillbirth, infant, or child will especially find comfort in being able to gently wrap their little one in a blanket and transport the body home for a final good-bye, instead of turning the body over to a funeral home. The stillborn, infants, and young children may be buried with no fee at La Puerta Natural Burial Ground.

For those families who so choose, a traditional funeral home may be secured to transport the body from the hospital to the funeral home to prepare for burial, and from the funeral home to La Puerta Natural Burial Ground. The funeral home must agree to abide by natural burial regulations. Families may purchase a bio-degradable coffin from Natural Burial New Mexico and transport it to the funeral home for significant cost reduction.

Natural Burial New Mexico supports the non-profit Fathers building Futures, an economic development initiative that trains previously incarcerated fathers in NM to become master woodworkers, allowing them to break the cycle of incarceration and support their family. FBF provides meaningful and useful service to the community with beautiful, 100% bio-degradable pine caskets and urns.

The staff at Natural Burial New Mexico provides free in-services to hospitals, hospices, care facilities, clinics, churches, or community service groups regarding guidelines and information about natural burial rights and choices.

Thank you for your time and consideration.