Alva Review-Courier -

After many months of research and deliberation, the Alva Cemetery Board made a recommendation to the city council Monday to provide green burial at the Alva Municipal Cemetery. Cemetery Board Chairman Lennie Reed was available to answer questions along with board member Arden Chaffee.

Councilmembers first voted to approve Block 22 of the cemetery as a green burial only block. It is located in the far northwest corner of cemetery property. Green burial involves burial in biodegradable materials in an unmarked field to allow for natural decomposition.

Reed explained that cemetery plots cannot be sold in advance. To allow for digging by a backhoe, the graves must be used in consecutive order so the backhoe won’t be driving over sites that have been used. Councilmember Sadie Bier asked how many burial sites are available in Block 22, and Chaffee said about 60. He explained that each body will be marked by a surveyor’s pin located in the chest area. These pins will show up on a metal detector, and four feet will be measured from that point for the next burial site. Graves will not be individually marked, but a cenotaph will be located at the edge of the block where names and dates may be inscribed.

The main concerns of councilmembers were about fire hazards. The field will be mowed at least once a year or as necessary to manage the wild flowers and weeds.

The council also approved the rules and regulations for green burial, which may be changed without notice and will become effective when posted on the city’s website. The cost for plots will be the same as for the cemetery at large.

The rules for green burial in Block 22 are:

1. Cemetery property may be purchased only at the time of need.

2. Individual spaces are used in order of burial.

3. The cemetery will choose the next space available. This means that family members may not be next to each other. You are buried in a place, Alva Municipal Cemetery, not a spot.

4. Grave markings are not permitted. There will not be grave markers or monuments.

5. Decorations placed in the cemetery will be removed and placed around the monolith cenotaph.

6. The names of the deceased may be inscribed on the cenotaph to indicate the burial took place here. The date of birth and death may be included in the inscription.

7. Caskets and ridged outer containers are not permitted (example is a concrete box or a vault).

8. The body shall be wrapped in an approved shroud according to the preparation instructions.

9. The 22 Block of the cemetery will be maintained in a meadow habitat and therefore mowed at least once a year or as necessary to manage the wild flowers and weed. It will look like a grassy meadow with tall grass and wild flowers. (The flowers are not guaranteed.)

10. The funeral director or person who is preparing the body for burial must be authorized by the cemetery to perform said preparation. Authorization may be obtained by the designated individual or institution by agreeing to comply with the preparation instructions. These instructions may be obtained by emailing Alva Municipal Cemetery and requesting a copy of the instructions.

11. Embalming is optional.

12. The cemetery must be notified 24 hours in advance of a burial.

13. Burials will be permitted Monday through Friday from two hours after sunrise until two hours before sunset.

14. Because this is a natural setting, the use of cemetery equipment such as artificial grass, chairs, tent and other cemetery equipment is discouraged but will be permitted when requested.

15. All fees are to be paid before burial.

16. The exterior perimeter will be mowed as necessary for fire prevention measures.