Qualities and functions ascribed to urban cemeteries across the capital cities of Scandinavia |
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Affiliation: | 1. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic;2. Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana 1, PL-65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland;3. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ-128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic;4. 4 route de la Loge, 86800 Liniers, France;5. Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, PL-60-625 Poznań, Poland;1. Department of Ecology, Technische Universität Berlin, 12165 Berlin, Germany;2. Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany;1. İstanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Vocational School of Forestry, Department of Ornamental Plants, Bahceköy, İstanbul, Turkey;2. Istanbul Aydın University, Anadolu Bil Vocational School of Higher Education, Department of Landscape and Ornamental Plants, Sefaköy-Küçükçekmece, İstanbul, Turkey;3. İstanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Botany, Bahceköy, İstanbul, Turkey |
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Abstract: | Cemeteries are not only burial places that provide a public service. They are also green urban spaces with cultural and natural qualities and could be integrated into the green infrastructure planning system. In this study, we explore the extent to which environmental qualities and functions are ascribed to urban cemeteries in the municipal master plans, green infrastructure plans and websites of the capital cities of Scandinavia. In addition, we conduct a focus-group interview in Oslo with six municipal employees representing green space planning/management, cultural heritage and cemetery administration/management, focusing on a broad perspective of qualities ascribed to urban cemeteries. The document study shows that, across the Scandinavian countries, cemeteries are mainly included in the concept of green infrastructure but they are not ascribed qualities similar to those ascribed to public green spaces; instead, most qualities are related to cultural history. However, Copenhagen municipality has a more inclusive approach, describing the cemeteries as green spaces and inviting people to use them for recreational purposes. The municipality even has a policy document with a strategy on how to combine the primary function of a burial site with new needs for recreational space. In the focus-group interview, cemeteries are described as static places, peaceful and quiet places, green spaces, spaces in which to experience darkness, and places for all (multiple use). There is relatively high agreement among interviewees about the recreational qualities of cemeteries, even though the cemetery administration/management emphasizes several times that its main focus is on accommodating the bereaved and their relatives. In the discussion, we focus on differences between the different Scandinavian countries in the qualities and functions ascribed to cemeteries, and examine potential explanations for why cemeteries are mostly described as green spaces, part of the green infrastructure, but treated as private green spaces in the urban planning context. |
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Keywords: | Churchyard Cultural heritage Graveyards Green infrastructure Land use Nature Urban planning |
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