Natural Grieving, a Method of Preservation: Implementing Natural Burials in Ontario’s Greenbelt

The spaces of death resonate deep within our being and become places and memories we revisit over and over again. This research outlines the importance of expressing grief whilst addressing issues that arise within current burial practices such as evolving cultural identities, diminishing cemetery spaces and environmental concerns. Utilizing a former limestone quarry located on the Milton Outlier and acknowledging the quarry’s history of digging and filling, the thesis proposes an alternative burial method within the Greenbelt regions of Ontario. From this, a new cemetery landscape emerges, giving newfound meaning to land preservation and permanence.