Rules & Regulations
Sòlas Natural Burial Policies
For additional information please contact us.
The following policies are mandatory requirements for all of the deceased in order to be buried here. There are absolutely no exceptions to these rules:
- NO embalming
- NO vaults, lids or concrete
- NO treated or stained wood caskets (natural, untreated/unstained wood is acceptable if it was grown within 300 miles of Middleton, WI)
- NO metals or plastics (including inside caskets)
- NO headstones (small, flat headstones are available for purchase through our website)
- NO shrouds made of non-biodegradable materials (we offer shrouds for purchase that are approved by the Green Burial Council for natural burial)
If you have questions about these policies please visit our FAQ page for more detailed information on what is permitted.
Only one being (human or animal) can be buried in each burial plot. If you wish to have multiple people buried near one another, you must purchase the plots next to each other at the same time. If you do not purchase plots together at the same time, we cannot guarantee that nearby plots will be available in the future. Disinterment is not possible due to the rapid decomposition process of the body during natural burial. Please make sure you understand and accept this before choosing natural burial.
You must leave the space as good or better than you found it. Please pick up any trash or other materials after your event/burial. Please be considerate of the plants and wildlife by not causing unnecessary disruption to the area. Remain on the paved and mowed paths when you are not visiting a burial site. Return any materials that you borrowed (shovels, etc.) back to where you found them and make sure the doors to the shelter storage rooms are closed if you used any items inside.
Our burial plots are 5 times the size of a traditional cemetery plot. Therefore, you will have much more space to bury the deceased. Before your burial ceremony, a marker will be placed at the head of the grave where you should dig. You will receive additional instructions via email on exactly how to dig the grave. We ask that you are careful of the surrounding environment and please try to avoid unnecessary disruption to nearby plants and flowers.
Shelter use is available by reservation only. You must reserve the shelter in advance for all burials, ceremonies, celebrations, and events. This is not a public park shelter, so if you do not have a reservation please respect the space and privacy of those who do.
You are required to reserve a time for burial ceremonies. In order to guarantee that each person has adequate space and time for their burial ceremony, we require advanced reservations for burials through our website. This guarantees exclusive use of the burial preserve and prevents multiple burials from occurring at the same time in order to respect the space of each family.
Respect the active burial ground and remain on the mowed and paved paths unless visiting a specific site. This is an active burial ground and we ask that you kindly avoid unnecessary disruption of the plants and wildlife.
Please avoid active burials and ceremonies. Burials, events and celebrations of life all take place via a reserved time slot. We welcome the public to use our trails and paths, but ask you to remain quiet and give ample space to the families during burials and events in order to respect their privacy. They are entitled to exclusive use of the shelter during their reserved time. Please respect their privacy by remaining quiet and avoiding the area until the burial/event is over.
Dogs must remain ON LEASH and on the paved paths and mowed trails at all times. You MUST pick up after your dog. While this burial preserve looks like a park or natural open space, we ask you to please respect that it is still an active burial ground. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash at all times and you pick up any waste.