By Nikki Kallio | Photo by Shanna Wolf
Having a special place to go to and remember a loved one can bring families comfort in times of loss, but a conventional cemetery burial can be pricey — and concerning for those who are environmentally conscious.
The nonprofit Sòlas Natural Burial Preserve between Middleton and Waunakee, certified by the Green Burial Council, offers families the chance to purchase a plot on its 20-acre grounds and bury their loved one in an ecologically friendly way. Natural burial prohibits embalming chemicals, concrete/ vaults and synthetic materials including those used in making traditional caskets, says Anita Lawrence, director of community relations for Sòlas.
Families can bury their loved one in a shroud, urn or casket. The caskets are handmade by monks from the New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque, Iowa. Graves are marked by GPS, carved wooden headstones, trees, and native plants and flowers, Lawrence says.
When Lawrence speaks to groups about Sòlas, she tells them, “Your very DNA is programmed to return your body to the earth and provide sustainable life for other living beings. And all you have to do is not interfere. Sòlas doesn’t interfere.”
Currently, natural burials make up a small percentage of burials in the U.S., but interest is growing as more people become concerned about the environmental impact and expense of traditional burials. A conventional burial in Wisconsin can cost up to $9,000 or more. A plot at Sòlas costs $4,600 for families who opt to bury a loved one in linen (that price does not include an urn or casket, notes Lawrence).
Sòlas, which means “light” in Gaelic, is a nonprofit and was launched in October 2023 by “a group of people that just wanted to give back to the environment,” Lawrence says. The property is surrounded by trees and the grounds include mown pathways to the gravesites. Deer and cranes roam the grounds. The property also has a pavilion where up to 75 people can gather.
“Sòlas is a beautiful place to be and a beautiful place to rest … it is incredibly peaceful out here,” says Lawrence.
