Lafayette Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fayetteville’s premier cemetery, has officially opened Fayetteville’s first natural burial area at Lafayette Memorial Park West.
Lafayette Memorial Park has dedicated approximately 1.5 acres next to a landscaped garden for green burials on its 63-acre grounds. Green, or natural burials, reduce environmental impact using nontoxic and biodegradable materials, such as Green Burial Council-approved caskets, burial shrouds and embalming fluids. Highland Meadow is the first green burial cemetery in the Fayetteville area.
“We’re hearing from our client families that many of them don’t feel that traditional burial options fit their wishes.” said Heather Bosher, owner of Lafayette Memorial Park. “Many of the people we serve love the idea of a more natural, earth-friendly burial. Natural burial invites families to be a part of the process.”
Highland Meadow at Lafayette West, located at 6701 Raeford Rd., is defined as a hybrid cemetery by the GBC. In addition to the use of GBC-approved materials, the GBC prohibits the use of vaults, vault lids, concrete boxes, slabs or partitioned liners in the burial plot. The green burial park at Highland Meadow offers both traditional plots and smaller spaces for urns.
In addition to following the guidelines set up by the GBC for locations offering green as well as traditional burials, Highland Meadow will use locally-sourced stones and boulders inscribed with the decedent’s name rather than traditional granite markers or monuments. Landscaping and grounds maintenance for this portion of the cemetery will also be minimal, in keeping with the plan to preserve the naturalistic environment.
About Lafayette Memorial Park and Mausoleum Family owned and operated since 1948, Lafayette Memorial Park has served the local community for three generations. Located in the heart of Fayetteville, we are committed to our families and dedicated to having caring and experienced professionals that understand that each family is unique, and every situation is different. For more information, visit http://www.LMPNC.com.
About the Green Burial Council
The Green Burial Council is the environmental certification organization setting the standard for green burial in North America. We offer environmental certificates for funeral homes, cemeteries and product manufacturers. GBC certification allows consumers to be able to distinguish between the three levels of green burial ground and understand that each has a different set of standards. It requires cemetery operators commit to a certain degree of transparency, accountability and third-party oversight. And it prevents future owners from going back on whatever ecological or aesthetic promises have been made in the past — from limitations on burial density that protect a local ecosystem to prohibitions against the use of monuments that would negatively impact a viewshed. For more information, visit https://greenburialcouncil.org/.
