“Our previous bylaw was operating well. However, following a round of public consultation last year with key stakeholders, including mana whenua, Taupiri Urupā trustees, community boards and funeral directors, we identified improvements that needed to be made to enhance its effectiveness,” MacDonald says.
Not all Waikato District cemeteries will allow for natural burials, but the council will soon identify key cemeteries which have the capacity for this.
“The step to include natural burials at selected sites is still in the development process, but we’re excited about adopting this change and the impacts it will have,” MacDonald says.
For natural burials, also known as eco-burials, a body is prepared and buried in ways that do not slow the decomposition process, and eco-friendly options like flax, cardboard, untreated timber or cloth are often used in place of the traditional coffin.
Only a few cemeteries in the Waikato region currently allow for natural burials. The Waikato cemeteries that have spaces set aside for this already include Leamington Cemetery (Waipā), Hamilton Park Cemetery at Newstead, Omahu Cemetery (Thames-Coromandel District) and Taupō Cemetery on Rickit Street.
MacDonald says allowing people to backfill graves themselves was also important to make cemeteries more inclusive.
“Giving families and loved ones the ability to backfill graves is a step in the right direction when it comes to inclusion, as well as helping family and whānau heal and grieve.”
In addition to the 21 cemeteries managed by Waikato District Council, there are a number of private cemeteries or urupā in the district. The bylaw does not apply to those spaces.
The bylaw is available online.
