Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol

What Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol does

Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol operates a 25-hectare natural burial ground on the Veluwe, northwest of Arnhem, the Netherlands, as part of Natuurbegraven Nederland. Founded in 2012, it is one of the earliest natural burial sites in the country, offering customers a perpetual grave right in protected natural surroundings in exchange for a one-time payment of €2,000-€5,300 depending on plot location. The site consists of flower-rich grasslands, forests, and ecologically diverse terrain, with grave rights notarially secured and ownership of the area eventually transferred to Natuurmonumenten, the Dutch nature conservation organization, after the last burial takes place. A portion of each reservation is set aside for ongoing nature management.

The business is built around a single core product — a natural grave (een natuurgraf) — supported by a small digital layer consisting of the Eigen Plek mobile app and an online map that allows plot holders and visitors to locate reserved graves via GPS coordinates embedded in the grave deed. A remote reservation service enables advance purchase without a site visit, and an open-field section added in 2020 supports dual plots for couples. Distribution is heavily event-driven: monthly information sessions, guided nature walks on the second day of each month, nature workdays, lectures, and the annual Lichtjesavond memorial ceremony form the primary engagement funnel, complemented by SEO, newsletter, and testimonial content. The operation runs with approximately 8 employees out of an information center on Harderwijkerweg in Arnhem.

Heidepol serves three persona segments: individuals planning their own final resting place in advance, surviving family members, and funeral directors coordinating services on the site. There is no disclosed recurring revenue; the model is a one-time license per plot, with no maintenance fees charged to survivors because nature itself maintains the site. The organization is private and operates as part of Natuurbegraven Nederland, with no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or public-market listing.

Name

Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol

Legal name

Natuurbegraven Nederland

Website

https://heidepol.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol is a 25-hectade natural burial ground on the Veluwe near Arnhem, operated by Natuurbegraven Nederland since 2012, selling perpetual grave rights in protected nature to individuals planning ahead and to families of the deceased.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Burial / Cemetery Services

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales) (BPAJADAH), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Natural burial
• Cemetery services
• Burial plots
• Nature conservation
• Memorial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnhem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Natural Grave Plot Reservation: One-time payment for perpetual grave rights in the natural burial area. Customers pay once for eternal rest in their chosen location, with no recurring maintenance fees. The payment secures not only the burial plot but also contributes to long-term nature conservation through Natuurmonumenten.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol sells natural burial plots (natuurgraven) with perpetual grave rights on a 25-hectare protected nature reserve on the Veluwe near Arnhem. Customers select their own plot location within designated natural areas, receive a notarial grave deed with GPS coordinates, and pay a one-time fee (€2,000–€5,300) for eternal rest. The area is managed in partnership with Natuurmonumenten, which assumes stewardship after the final burial, and supported by a GPS-based mobile app for locating reserved plots.

Product overview

Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol offers a single unified natural burial ground service operated by Natuurbegraven Nederland in partnership with Natuurmonumenten. The core product is the natural grave (Een natuurgraf) — a perpetual burial plot within a 25-hectare protected natural area on the Veluwe. Customers select their own location within designated zones and receive eternal grave rights secured through notarial agreement. Digital support includes an App & Map for locating graves by coordinates. The service also offers remote reservation capabilities and biodegradable urn options (Loop Biotech). Activities such as guided nature walks, information sessions, nature work days, and annual memorial light ceremonies are provided as community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Een natuurgraf (Natural Grave) Natural burial plots within a 25-hectare protected nature reserve on the Veluwe where customers can reserve their chosen location and receive eternal grave rights secured through a notarial agreement. Maintenance is provided by nature with no recurring costs, and the area is permanently protected by Natuurmonumenten.
• Reserveer op afstand (Remote Reservation) Service enabling customers to reserve a natural burial plot at Heidepol remotely, without requiring an in-person visit to the site, for advance planning convenience.
• App & Plattegrond (App & Map) Mobile application and interactive map that allows users to locate and navigate to their reserved grave plot using the GPS coordinates recorded on their grave deed.
• Urn van Loop Biotech Biodegradable urn option provided in partnership with Loop Biotech, offered as an environmentally responsible add-on for natural burials at Heidepol.

Quantifiable outcome

• No future decisions required by survivors about grave rights renewal or maintenance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NatuurmonumentencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatuurbegraven Nederland manages and protects the natural area in partnership with Natuurmonumenten. After the last natural burial takes place at Heidepol, Natuurbegraven Nederland transfers ownership of the natural area to Natuurmonumenten. A portion of each reservation is set aside for nature conservation managed by Natuurmonumenten, ensuring permanent protection and maintenance of the area for future generations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Natuurmonumenten: Heidepol's conservation partner and future steward of the site after the last burial. Comparable only as the ecosystem anchor — Natuurmonumenten is not a burial operator but defines the conservation framework Heidepol depends on.
• Green Burial Council: US-based industry body certifying and promoting green burial providers. Comparable as a category-shaping peer that defines standards and demand for natural burial offerings like Heidepol's.

Broad incumbents

• Yarden Uitvaartverzekering: Major Dutch funeral insurance and services provider. Functions as a broad incumbent in end-of-life services that captures many of the same customer relationships, though its core offering (traditional funeral insurance) differs from Heidepol's natural burial model.
• Monuta: Large Dutch funeral services and insurance group. Indirect incumbent peer that owns the traditional funeral customer relationship, against which Heidepol positions its differentiated natural burial offering.
• Staatsbosbeheer Natuurbegraven: Staatsbosbeheer, the Dutch state forestry service, manages natural burial options on state-owned nature land. Functions as a broader incumbent in the natural burial category with greater scale but a less specialized customer experience than Heidepol.

Direct peers

• Natuurbegraven Nederland: Parent organization that operates Heidepol and other natural burial sites in the Netherlands. Directly comparable operator of natural burial grounds with shared brand, technology (app), and partnership model with Natuurmonumenten.
• Natuurbegraafplaats Wierde: Another natural burial site in the Natuurbegraven Nederland portfolio. Offers the same perpetual natural burial rights concept in a different Dutch region, making it a near-perfect functional peer.
• Natuurbegraafplaats Bergerbos: Sibling natural burial ground operated under Natuurbegraven Nederland in the Drenthe region. Directly comparable product, pricing structure, and customer experience to Heidepol, differing primarily by geography.
• Landgoed Lumen: Dutch natural burial ground in Overijssel offering similar perpetual natural burial rights in a protected estate setting. Competes for the same eco-conscious Dutch end-of-life customer.

Emerging players

• The Natural Death Centre: UK charity promoting ecological and family-led burial. Comparable as an advocacy/community peer shaping public attitudes toward natural burial, though it does not itself operate commercial burial grounds.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/natuurbegraafplaats-heidepol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Natuurbegraafplaats Heidepol