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Project proposes reclaimed oilsands could be used as cemeteries

Apr 15, 2009

by Bev Betkowski

Project proposes reclaimed oilsands could be used as cemeteries

Anne Naeth
Edmonton--A group of University of Alberta student researchers is calling on Canadian industries-including oilsands companies-to consider rejuvenating their used land into peaceful green spaces that would double as environmentally-friendly cemeteries.

As a class project, students from the University of Alberta's Department of Renewable Resources researched the viability of a natural cemetery at the theoretical site of an Alberta pulp mill in northern Alberta. "Instead of a more common reclamation option like a campground, we wanted to establish a green space that could also help the environment, and what we call a depersonalized garden of remembrance would do that," said Kirby Nelson, one of the seven fourth-year students who developed the proposal.

Such cemeteries already exist in Europe and in dedicated areas set aside in some U.S. graveyards. One site has been proposed in British Columbia, and the students found no legislation that prohibits this type of proposal in Canada. Un-embalmed bodies are buried in biodegradable cases or natural fibre clothing and covered with a compost-soil mixture. The hand-dug, unmarked graves are reseeded with native vegetation. The burial plots, marked only with stones or flowers, are reusable every few years for up to 50 years. The garden of remembrance would feature walking paths, an open air arena and an auditorium that could be used for weddings and other community events.

"Although their idea is for a hypothetical site, it could easily be applied in real life after any large-scale land disturbance, including the oilsands," said Anne Naeth, a U of A professor of land reclamation and supervisor of the students' project. "Creative use of land is becoming more important as the population expands and the usable land base decreases. A project like this one combines the need for natural spaces with suitable burial grounds, and responds to an emerging human desire to be closer to nature."

"Right now, when we think of visiting a cemetery, it's not to enjoy it as a green space, but to grieve," Nelson added. "Our proposal creates a space that serves as both a cemetery and a park to celebrate the environment and to celebrate life."

This article originally appeared in the University of Alberta's ExpressNews

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