
THE NEW ECO-BURIAL SITE WITHIN THE DIAMOND HARBOUR MEMORIAL GARDENS CEMETERY IS OPEN
Yes, Diamond Harbour now boasts the first eco-burial site in the greater Christchurch City area.
See below for more information.
Introduction to Eco-burials
A group from Diamond Harbour and the greater Christchurch / Banks Peninsula area have been engaging with the Christchurch City Council for many years, with the overall aim to have Eco-burials as an option for all residents.
There are a number of different terms: “Eco-burial”, “Natural burial”, and “Green burial” that are used to mean different things…
An “Eco-burial” is a general term for burial that is more environmentally friendly than the usual burial process in New Zealand.
A “Natural burial” is an Eco-burial where there is a shallow plot at a depth within the living soil layer, the deceased is not embalmed, is dressed in natural, biodegradable materials, and the coffin or shroud is also biodegradable and non-toxic. Plots are filled with living soil, and within a year are over-planted with native trees and shrubs, so the whole area will eventually resemble regenerated forest.
A “Green burial” is the term used by the Christchurch City Council for a burial in a designated area within an existing Council cemetery, where most of the Natural burial aspects are included. Note that the CCC Cemeteries Handbook states that Green burials must have a minimum cover of 800mm above the casket, and this is below the living soil layer at the Diamond Harbour Green burial site.
The Diamond Harbour Memorial Gardens Cemetery boasts the first Green burial site in the greater Christchurch area, it has been open since November 2017.
Yaldhurst Cemetery also has a Green burial site, which opened in December 2019. See below (Update 20 December 2019) for more info.
Check out this Blog for the latest news 🙂
Mark Watson   Send email to Mark here
Do you wish to be contacted about future natural burial / green burial sites? Would you like to make suggestions about the design and use of future natural / green burial sites in the Christchurch area?
I will no longer be sending out emails to the contacts that Ann Thornton used to have, because many of the email addresses in that list are no longer active. So if you would like to be kept informed (and to have the opportunity to give suggestions), I recommend you directly contact Christchurch City Council Senior Engagement Advisor Jennie Hamilton. You can call her on 03 941 5207, or email Jennie at Jennie.Hamilton@ccc.govt.nz
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Do you have questions about green burials / natural burials?
Conversations on death and dying are held in the Heathcote Community Centre on the 2nd Saturday of the month 9.30 till 11am. Koha for rental of the venue. All welcome.
If you have questions, these are the people to contact:
John Allen at lytteltoninterfaith@gmail.com or 021 365 966 for advice on the process of preparation for a green burial. John can also perform ceremonies and burial events.
Cemeteries Administrator: cemeteries@ccc.govt.nz or 03 941 8999 for questions about the details of green burials in the greater Christchurch area, or for pre-booking a plot, or arranging a green burial.
Eric Banks, Senior Network Planner, Parks Unit: Eric.Banks@ccc.govt.nz or 03 941 8999, for general enquiries or comments about green burials in CCC cemeteries.
Veronika Gabel veronika.gabel@hotmail.com or 021 159 6482, or Joy McLeod joyhdk64@gmail.com for general questions or comments about the Diamond Harbour green burials site.
If you have any concerns or questions about the Diamond Harbour green burials site that you would like raised, you can contact the Diamond Harbour Community Association Secretary (Christine) directly: turnedturner@gmail.com or alternatively, you can contact Joy McLeod, who is happy to raise the matter at the next DHCA meeting: joyhdk64@gmail.com
Links to other useful websites:Â
https://www.naturalburials.co.nz/
https://www.returntosender.co.nz/ Â Â (for natural caskets)
Update 9 October 2020
Planting has been carried out 🙂
The first area of 6 plots at the Diamond Harbour green burial site has been planted out, and it is looking lovely. This is what green burials are all about.
Thanks so much to all the Christchurch City Council team for making this happen.
If you are in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Aroha
Mark Watson
Update 20 December 2019
Exciting news: more green burial sites for Christchurch
A green burial area has just been opened at Yaldhurst cemetery. This is a much larger area than the Diamond Harbour green burial space, so it will take the pressure off the very popular Diamond Harbour cemetery.
You can pre-book burial space at the Yaldhurst green burial area. This means that you can rest assured that you, and your loved-ones, can be naturally buried at the same cemetery (but not necessarily in adjoining plots, due to the practicality of needing to over-plant once a group of plots have been filled).
But wait, there’s more good news…
Christchurch City Council are planning for a very large new cemetery near Templeton, that would be intended to meet the whole of Christchurch’s needs for the rest of this century! This would include areas to suit people of many different ethnicities and religious backgrounds, as well as green / natural burial areas.Â
What would you like for future green burial spaces? The CCC cemeteries team are keen to have input at this very early stage of the process from as many people as possible.
You can have your say here:
www.ccc.govt.nz/NewcemeteryforChristchurch
This needs to be done by 15th January 2020
Aroha
Mark Watson
Update 17 June 2019
Diamond Harbour green burial site is filling up!
As of today, 7 of the 12 green burial plots have been filled. That is a great indication that all the work put in by the CCC Cemeteries Team and the Green Burials Group was worthwhile 🙂Â
We are hoping that the Council will be able to provide more green burial plots in the Diamond Harbour Cemetery before too long. Feel free to talk to your local council representatives to encourage more money to be made available to the CCC Cemeteries Team so they can make this happen if at all possible.
UPDATE 19 Dec 2019: It is sounding very positive that the number of green burial plots here will be increased somewhat. To gain the ideal number of plots that could be provided at the cemetery though, more funds would be needed to cover the cost of fairly significant earthworks. So, as mentioned above, the more we engage with council representatives on this issue, the higher the chances of a really good outcome 🙂
Here’s a few things to note about Green burials at the Diamond Harbour Cemetery:
There is no pre-purchasing of plots allowed.
The CCC Cemeteries Handbook states that the minimum cover above the casket is to be 800mm. So the casket will be well below the living soil layer at the cemetery: it appears to be in amongst a dense clay layer. If you are contemplating a green burial here, you may wish to talk to the CCC Cemeteries administrator about whether there are any options when re-filling the plot.
For more details about the CCC Green burial requirements, take a look at the Cemeteries Handbook, downloadable from the CCC website, or try this link:
https://www.ccc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Services/Cemeteries/Cemeteries-Handbook.pdf
Aroha
Mark Watson
Update 3 August 2018
Christchurch City Council has just released draft new rules for its cemeteries.
Public comment is open until 3rd September 2018
THERE ARE CHANGES THAT WILL AFFECT THE DIAMOND HARBOUR CEMETERY:
* 2.8.3 There is no pre-purchasing of plots.
This applies to conventional full burial plots, infant plots, green burial full burial plots and ash plots.
* 3.6.1.3 Memorials: Memorials such as placing headstones on a green burial plot are not permitted.
This is normal practice. However, when the green burial area at Diamond Harbour was being developed it was decided that two bench seats be installed there. At the time the possibility was discussed, if families so wished, that matching memorial plaques could be installed at the families’ expense on the bench seats.
Here are some thoughts about the issue of no pre-purchasing of plots.
Since the green burial area became available in October of 2017 in the Diamond Harbour Cemetery there have been two green burials in the area. In the May prior to that date there were two green burials in the adjacent area of the cemetery. From the period of 1 October 2017 to mid July 2018 there was one conventional burial and two ashes internments in the cemetery.
The green burial site can accommodate 10 more burials with no pre purchasing possible. At the present rate of demand there will soon be no more green burial plots available at Diamond Harbour.
When in 2012 the petition for a green burial site at Diamond Harbour was circulating a significant number of people commented that they would like to be buried in the vicinity of where they had lived.
If one member of a family is buried in a particular cemetery, it is only natural that other close members of that family will very likely want to be buried in the same cemetery. Especially so in this case, as the other green burial option is over 20 kilometres away.
It does not seem unreasonable to expect relief for such people, in the form of a booking for a yet-to-be determined location within the DH cemetery. This is especially relevant for the green burial plots, because double-plots are not an option. The location could be selected by the sexton such that it causes the fewest issues for future burials and plot over-planting procedures.
Having said that, if provision were made in the Diamond Harbour cemetery for plenty more green burial plots, there would be less concern that close family members might not be able to be buried in the same cemetery, so the issue of not being able to pre-purchase a plot would not be so great.
Aroha
Mark Watson
Update 16 April 2018.
Green burials are here 🙂
The Diamond Harbour green burial site was opened on 16th November 2017, and is now operational.
Due to the small number of plots available, at this stage plots cannot be pre-booked. We are engaging with the Christchurch City Council over this issue, hoping for a compromise to allow some form of pre-booking in certain circumstances.
Yaldhurst cemetery is next in line to open a green burial site. This is expected to be a significantly larger site, with the ability to pre-book plots.
It is wonderful that after so many years of advocating for eco-burials, it’s now a reality for the people of Christchurch / Banks Peninsula.
Mark Watson
Update 25 September 2017.
Yes! Green burial site will be officially opened on Thursday 16th November
That’s right, there will be a grand opening celebration ceremony for the Diamond Harbour green burial site, at 2pm, Thursday 16th November.
All welcome, we’d love to celebrate this marvelous occasion with you and your friends. It certainly has been a while coming, but the important thing is that it’s actually happening, and it’s happened because you, and people like you have wanted it to happen.
More details about the official opening to be released closer to the time. Check back on this blog, or the November issue of the Diamond Harbour Herald to find out.
Mark Watson
Latest Update on Green Burial Site 24 July 2017
The most recent date for the opening of the green burial site at Diamond Harbour Memorial cemetery is late September, though this may be delayed if wet weather persists.
This development by the Christchurch City Council is unique in the Christchurch/Banks Peninsula area and the first such site to be created. It will provide for the burial in a specially designated area for unembalmed bodies in biodegradable coffins or shrouds with the plots filled with specially prepared soil which will encourage rapid decomposition.
Families of those buried in this area will be able to take part in the planting over the plots of appropriate native trees from a list sympathetic with current planting in the cemetery compiled by the Council. There will also be provision for families to have a permanent memorial installed in the area.
It is not possible to repurchase plots the cost of which until mid 2018 will be the same as for conventional burial plots in the cemetery.
Ann Thornton
Exciting news: things are happening at the Diamond Harbour Cemetery…
23 May, 2017
Yes, there are contractors on site, mostly working on several areas of the existing cemetery, to increase its capacity. But the exciting part is that the works will include a green burial area, with 12 plots and an area of new planting.
The work is planned to be completed by the end of July, subject to the weather. So green burial plots could be available in August, touch wood  🙂
Check this link for a map of the work being done: the green burial area is at the top right. Or wander down to the cemetery, and take a look at a more detailed plan posted on the site office fence in the car park.
Mark Watson
Update 10 April 2017
The following is the latest update from the Christchurch City Council on progress towards providing the green burial site in the Diamond Harbour Memorial Gardens Cemetery:
“The development of the cemetery including a Green burials site is being undertaken this current financial year (16/17). At this stage we are expecting the green burial site will be available from this July, subject to contractor progress (and any artefacts that might be discovered during excavation!)”.
Good news indeed!
Ann Thornton
Update 5 December 2016
Sorry, there’s not much to report. This is all that the Christchurch City Council has for us at the moment:
“Still looking at Autumn construction assuming we gain the necessary consent and archaeological authority.”
Best wishes for the upcoming festive season to all readers of this blog  🙂
Mark Watson
Update 5 October 2016
It is wonderful news that Council plans for a green burial site in Diamond harbour Cemetery are starting to come to fruition.
Currently the plan caters for 12 green plots in the Diamond Harbour Cemetery but Council is aware that demand may well indicate the need for this number to be increased. You can assist Council in its forward planning for eco-burial by doing the following:
Email Eric Banks Eric.Banks@ccc.govt.nz to congratulate Council on their current proposal and urging them, in view of contemporary interest in eco-burial, to consider providing further such options while still working towards providing a designated natural burial site for the Christchurch/Banks Peninsula area as a whole.
 Ann Thornton
Meeting with Christchurch City Council 29th August 2016
About half a dozen members of the group met with CCC staff to discuss details of the plan to provide 12 sites for Green burials at Diamond Harbour Cemetery, as well as Eco-burial issues for Christchurch in general.
It was a very productive meeting. We were listened to and we gained more information about Council’s plans for developing the Green burial site in Diamond Harbour. The Council staff are conscious that there will likely be significant demand for further Eco-burial sites both within the Diamond Harbour cemetery, and in the wider Christchurch City area. They are planning on providing for Natural and Green burials in general “across the region”, ie at established cemeteries as well as eventually providing a designated natural burial site resulting in a substantial block of regenerating native forest.
Work on preparing the soil and planting a framework of native vegetation for the Green burial site in Diamond Harbour will commence soon. CCC staff assured us of their keenness for our ongoing involvement and input into the planning of the site and possibly another Green burial site in the Diamond Harbour Memorial Cemetery.
Mark Watson / Ann Thornton
August 2016 Update
As many Diamond Harbour residents will know, Ann Thornton and her supporters have been working enthusiastically and tirelessly for over 10 years to make it possible to have a natural burial area in our our community.
It now seems, after years of ups and downs, that the Christchurch City Council is in a position to initially develop up to 12 sites for Eco/natural burials within the area of the current Memorial Gardens. The proposal from the Council spelt out some details for providing an eco-burial site… basically it will be for an un-embalmed body in a biodegradable coffin or shroud, buried at a shallow depth in an inspirational environment which includes planting of native vegetation.
At a recent meeting at Ann and Jim’s, attended by over 20 residents and supporters of natural burials, Ann was able to confirm the Council’s positive response to the local campaigning over the years. Given the enthusiasm shown by the people at the meeting for natural burial sites in our area, the demand for such burial sites is likely to surpass the supply of the initial 12 sites. It was unanimously agreed at the meeting to thank the Council for taking this initiative and giving those who campaigned, especially in 2012-13, the opportunity for input into into their current planning process.
There was also a unanimous expression of appreciation to Ann and Jim for all their hard work in keeping this initiative on the front burner, both within our community and also at the Council level. A truly magnificent achievement that would have taken 100’s of hours of researching, campaigning, communicating, and encouraging everyone interested in having a place for natural burials in our community to contribute to the process.
Jim Nieman
At Yaldhurst Cemetery “green Burial” sites, when will NZ natives be planted?
Will my titanium joints cause any problems at burial, can they be recycled?
When is the next 2022 meeting in Heathcote for Green Burial information be held?
Kia ora Linda,
For questions about what can go with you in a burial at any particular green burial site, and how/when each green burial site is overplanted, etc, I’d recommend you contact the Cemeteries Administrator: cemeteries@ccc.govt.nz or 03 941 8999.
For questions about the Heathcote meetings, I’d suggest you contact John Allen at lytteltoninterfaith@gmail.com or 021 365 966.
Updated suggested SUBMISSION wording from Ann Thornton for you to use or edit as appropriate:
CEMETERIES BYLAW AND HAND BOOK REVIEW
Name:
Address:
Public hearing: I wish/do not wish to speak at the public hearing
Comments: I am completing this submission on behalf of myself
I support the plan
I generally support the plan but have some concerns
I do not support the plan
COMMENTS:
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the following issues:
2.8.3 DIAMOND HARBOUR MEMORIAL GARDEN CEMETERY:
No pre purchasing is available at this cemetery for any plot.
In the period from October 2017 to July 2018 there have been 2 burials in the Green Burial site. In May 2017 before this designated area was available there were 2 green burials in a neighbouring area. There are now only 10 green burial plots available in the green burial site where over planting with trees is permitted. At this rate of interest there will soon be no plots available in the designated area.
Ideally I would like pre-purchase of green burial plots to be possible or at least pre purchase of another plot when one partner has been buried.
If this can not be made possible, in view of people wanting to be buried in the same area as they have lived and in the same cemetery as their partner, and also for the convenience of families I urge Council to plan to provide another designated green burial site in the Diamond Harbour Cemetery as soon as possible.
3.6.1.3 MEMORIALS:
Memorials such as placing headstones on a green burial plot are not permitted.
This is normal practice. However, when the green burial area at Diamond Harbour was being developed it was decided that two bench seats be installed there. At the time the possibility was discussed, if families so wished, that matching memorial plaques could be installed at the families’ expense on the bench seats.
I would like to encourage Council to permit this.
SHORT SUBMISSION suggested wording from Ann Thorton:
2.8.3 DIAMOND HARBOUR MEMORIAL GARDEN CEMETERY:
No pre purchasing is available at this cemetery for any plot.
In the period from October 2017 to July 2018 there have been 2 burials in the Green Burial site. In May 2017 before this designated area was available there were 2 green burials in a neighbouring area. There are now only 10 green burial plots available in the green burial site where over planting with trees is permitted. At this rate of interest there will soon be no plots available in the designated area.
Because of the no pre purchasing rule and in view of people wanting to be buried in the same area as they have lived and in the same cemetery as their partner, and also for the convenience of families I urge Council to plan to provide another designated green burial site in the Diamond Harbour Cemetery as soon as possible.
3.6.1.3 MEMORIALS:
Memorials such as placing headstones on a green burial plot are not permitted.
This is normal practice. However, when the green burial area at Diamond Harbour was being developed it was decided that two bench seats be installed there. At the time the possibility was discussed, if families so wished, that matching memorial plaques could be installed at the families’ expense on the bench seats.
I would like to encourage Council to permit this.
Message from Rosemary Tredgold:
Conversations on Death and Dying.
You are invited to join us for one or more of these monthly discussions . To cover some practical information, some sharing of general issues and feelings and some sharing of ideas as to how we can live life to the full whilst we can
Where Quaker Centre 213 Ferry Rd
When Saturday March 4th 10 30 am to 12.0pm Koha
Please will you ring me on 325 5770 or email me rvctredgold@gmail.com if you are planning to come
With best wishes Rosemary Tredgold
Thank you to all continue to work towards the establishment of natural burial sites. We watch this space with interest, and are both available to offer our enthusiasm and support.
Thank you for your offer of enthusiasm and support , Catherine and Willie. Contact me and/or Emilie if you would like to go on our email contact lists for regular updates in addition to what appears on this site. (See above “Do you want to get involved?”)
Hi Ann.
I have clients who want to bury their mother in Diamond Harbour’s natural burial park this Thursday. Is it open and available for use yet? I have written to Eric at CCC and am waiting to hear back from him about this. I can’t find your contact details anymore. Please make contact with me if you can. Living Legacies. 03 528 5220. Lynda@Livinglegacies.co.nz
Thanks for all your work on this! We’re getting there!!!
Lynda
Hi Lynda,
Thank you for your enquiry in relation to your clients wanting to bury their parent in the proposed Diamond Harbour green burial site. It is disappointing and frustrating that Eric’s response is that this isn’t possible yet because of various consents that still need to be negotiated. Currently, he is indicating that the CCC’s intention is that the green burial area be available for burials by “the winter of 2017.”
In the meanwhile thank you for your encouragement to keep persevering in our request to Council for the eco-burail to be available as soon as possible!
My name is Geoff Bradley. I’m a retired G.P. with a long interest in ‘natural burials’. Hard to get far at a party with that interest being held dear to ones heart! I’d just like to say congratulations on bringing a dedicated site to pass, and to comment on the overuse of native species in your vegetation plan. The world is full of desirable, beautiful trees and shrubs. Don’t let fashion conscious landscapers and bureaucracy spoil your achievement. Birds love trees: the shelter, warmth and food those trees provide. The vegetation should be a gift to those who’ve gone before, and contributors to the ultimate beauty of their resting place.
Hullo all. You’ve not heard my voice before. My name is Geoff Bradley. I live in Kaiapoi. Iive been banging away on the issue of ‘natural burials’ ever since I read an article in the ‘Press’ several years ago. I have been in touch with Mark and the Wellington group for sometime. Mark referred me to Ann, and through her patient emails, I’ve managed to keep in touch with what’s happening ‘out there’. I’ll maintain this contact both through this blog, and my annoying correspondence with Ann.
A point I’ve made to Ann relates to the notion of ‘native’ vegetation. For many years now its been fashionable to drape every public space with native vegetation. There are some few natives worthy of that role, but they are, in my opinion few in number. Hoheria lyalli springs to mind. The world is full of beautiful trees and shrubs. Birds don’t pick and choose that much. In time this will be a place of great beauty. Important then not to be swayed my myopic bureaucracy of fashion following landscapers. There will never be unanimous opinion on this entirely subjective notion. I’d suggest a special sub group be set up to steer this vitally important aspect of your achievement. Best wishes.
Is it possible to prearrange a natural burial in Christchurch at this time?
Thank you for your query, Felicity.
In the Christchurch Cemeteries Master Plan, and Handbook June, 2013 the Council has made a commitment to providing a designated natural burial site. Because the Council has to date not been able to find a suitable area for such a site in the meanwhile it is making provision for Green Burials. A green burial is the burial of an unembalmed body in biodegradable coffin or shroud at as shallow a depth as possible.
The CCC states that the difference between Eco-burials (also referred to as natural burials) and a green burial is that Green Burials may take place in any operational cemetery but that planting on top of the grave is not possible.
Council is currently working on a plan to provide an area in the Diamond Harbour Memorial Garden Cemetery for green burials. This will be specially landscaped and include planting of native vegetation over the burial sites. Currently these green plots are not available for purchase in advance.
For further information about the CCC development of natural burial options contact Eric Banks email: Eric.Bank@ccc.govt.nz
In the meanwhile an individual can make preparations for a natural burial by researching availability of biodegradable coffins or considering the possibility of having one specially made and giving thought to other details of a personalized burial.
Hello fellow Natural Burial supporters,
Had a sweet meeting with Ann at the site this morning to soak up the sun and bird song , and get in the know about where the project is at .
so really appreciating all the enthusiasm. And excited that the council are finally on board with the vision .
Ann has asked me to be a contact person for design ideas
So please contact me on johnallenzen@hotmail.com,
Thanks Mark , for initiating this blog
Happy spring .
John allen