about
Natural Burials at White Eagle Memorial Preserve
Natural burial is a beautiful, meaningful, simple practice which reflects ecological values held during life. We support families and communities to engage in a heartfelt and hands-on way during the burial process, and tend to the people and the place with care and attention.
A MEMBER OF THE GREEN BURIAL COUNCIL
White Eagle Memorial Preserve was one of the first few conservation burial grounds in the US, certified by the Green Burial Council, and one of the founding members of the Conservation Burial Alliance.
Here is more information about our Guidelines
About Natural Burials at White Eagle
Natural burial at White Eagle is a simple practice - a return to nature - to allow the body after death to rejoin the elements, and to regenerate new life. You can find more details about how to be buried at White Eagle here.
sites that honor the ecosystem
Our low density burial sites are 20 x 20 ft in size, within a grid system, which allows us to work with the intact forest ecosystem and situate graves in the trees without compromising the root systems of trees or native plants.
GRAVES PREPARED BY HAND
We prepare graves by hand, with pickaxes, dig bars, shovels, and love, and practice hand lowering and grave closing.
SHROUDS, CASKETS & DRESSINGS
We bury people in shrouds, woven baskets, and simple pine caskets that will biodegrade. We dress the grave on the morning of a burial with forest materials and flowers in season.
HAND IN HAND THROUGH THE PROCESS
If you are calling to arrange a burial for a death that is actively pending, or has already happened, we can walk you through the process of what to expect and offer support in answering any questions along the way. Contact us at whiteeagle@ekone.org
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
Family and friends often choose to actively participate in the burial service, act as pallbearers, help to close the grave and decorate the burial mound, which can be a deep act of service and meaning. This offers the family and community the opportunity to authentically engage and honor the unique spirit and personality of the person they are burying, and to perform the ancient human duty of laying a loved one's body to rest in the earth.
CHOOSE YOUR OWN SITE
We encourage people who are pre-planning to come out and choose their own place in the forest. We can also take photos to choose sites remotely. Or some prefer that their final resting place is“Gravedigger’s Choice”. Schedule a tour with one of our stewards by emailing: whiteeagle@ekone.org
Meet some of our White Eagle stewards and have a guided cemetery tour with this recorded Zoom presentation from 2025
Partners
An 501c3 educational, networking, and resource sharing organization, supporting cemetery operators, community efforts to start conservation burial grounds, and spreader awareness in the wider community.
An international 501c3 organization providing green burial education and certifying cemeteries, funeral homes, and funerary products.
A Portland based life cycle celebrant, educator, and organizer in the death care community, who produced the Death:OK conference in 2015, ran Death Talk Project, and co-created state based resource and education websites: Washington Funeral & Oregon Funeral.
MORE ABOUT NATURAL BURIALS AT WHITE EAGLE MEMORIAL PRESERVE
Finding White Eagle Natural Burial Ground
White Eagle Memorial Preserve is based at Ekone Ranch, 2.5 hours from Portland and about 4 hours from Seattle in Washington State. It takes just under 30 minutes to reach us from Goldendale, WA, the nearest town.
We encourage and welcome visitors and tours; however, the Ranch & Cemetery are busy places, and we are unable to accommodate drop-in visitors.
Please schedule ahead of time and let us know your planned arrival timing, then text us (206-383-3285) as you are coming through Goldendale to let us know your actual arrival timing, so we can be in the right place to greet you!
Google maps often leads you down a goat trail - so please see step by step directions here.