H. Natural Burial plot  (section 15 C)

In ______ of 2008, the Lawrence City Commission approved to open the 1^st Natural Burial Cemetery in the state of Kansas.  It is located on the north side of Oak Hill Cemetery.  This will be an all natural area.  The area will not be mowed.

1. Wood carriers may be used but they must be made of natural, biodegradable materials (such as cardboard, hardwood) No particle board made with adhesive will be accepted.  Metal, concrete, plastic, other synthetic materials and/or stone may not be used for interment, but caskets approved by the Green Burial Council may be used.  Cremains may be interred directly. Bodies must be interred in a minimum of a cardboard carrier. If a cardboard carrier is used, the base of the carrier must be reinforced with biodegradable wood planks to assure the carrier stays in tack during the transportation and lowering process. If desired the body may be shrouded and the top of the carrier removed at the burial site. 

2. Deceased bodies that are embalmed or otherwise chemically preserved may not be interred in this area.

3. The City will require a copy of a Kansas death certificate signed by a Doctor or a Kansas transit permit for all full burials.

4. Concrete or steel vaults will not be permitted

5. No cut, machined, or polished markers or monuments of any kind are permitted.  You may have engraved natural, flat rocks, or boulders.

6. Native plants, flowers, grasses are the only decorations permitted. No artificial flowers, wreaths, tree chimes and/or any other decorations will be allowed.

7. No Shepard hooks, or ceramic, glass and/or other type of figurine will be permitted.

8. Graves may take several years to settle back to the original ground level.  Parks and Recreation staff will adjust the ground around uneven graves periodically throughout the year.

9. All work done in the Natural Burial Cemetery will be done by Parks and Recreation staff only.  No planting will be done until approved by the Parks and Recreation Horticulture Division.

10. All graves will be dug by machine at a depth no less than 5 feet.

11. The funeral home contracted by the family will provide a lowering device and tent.  If the family does not want the use of a lowering device, city staff will be provided to lower the deceased into the ground.  If so requested, the city will provide a wheeled cart to move the casket from the road to the grave site.  Due to liability, all families requesting to assist in the lowering of the deceased, will be designated and staged behind city staff. City staff will be designated and staged closest to the grave.

12. City staff will hand shovel the first 1/3 of the grave, then modern machinery will complete the process of burial. If family requests to assist in the interment of the grave, shovels will be provided by city staff.