Across the US, cemeteries are transforming from manicured lawns to natural habitats, with changes spurred by the pandemic's influence on community spaces.
Reviving Rest: Nature Takes Root in America’s Cemeteries
Reviving Rest: Nature Takes Root in America’s Cemeteries
Modern burial sites embrace wildflowers and greenery, promoting biodiversity and tranquility in urban spaces.
As America reexamines its relationship with the afterlife, cemeteries are becoming vibrant ecosystems rather than just resting places. Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and others nationwide have pioneered this movement, trading neatly trimmed grass for expansive meadows filled with native flora. From Catholic and Jewish burial grounds to public cemeteries in urban and rural settings, groundskeepers and horticulturists are letting nature reclaim its space. These rewilding efforts have increased habitat opportunities for local wildlife while providing serene green spaces for the living.
During the isolation of the pandemic, many turned to cemeteries for solace. Laurel Hill Cemetery in Pennsylvania saw a participation jump, while Green-Wood received 200,000 new visitors, highlighting a unique blend of sorrow and reprieve. With society more open to environmental shifts, responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Joseph Charap, Green-Wood’s horticulture vice president, noted, “The reaction was, ‘Oh, it’s beautiful,’” observing the change in perception toward natural landscaping.
As more burial sites embrace this trend, the days of traditional turfgrass may become relics of the past, replaced by flourishing wildflower meadows that foster biodiversity and peace for both the departed and those who visit them.
