Helen Mendes Urban biodiversity November 2011

Life beyond the grave Cemeteries can be islands of nature within the cities

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Residents of Melatensfriedhof:

the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is commonly seen in German parks, quickly climbing trees.

Jay bird (Garrulus glandarius), jaywalking in the graveyard.

Nest boxes are hung there for birds and bats, which use them for breeding.

Plants from Melatensfriedhof:

Lines of tall plane trees (Platanus sp.) contour the avenues of the cemetery.

the trees function as air filters and air conditioning, cleaning the polution of the surroundings and providing cooler temperatures.

Cypresses decorate the graveyards terrain and visitors’ path.

FaUNa aNd FLoRa

Central cemetery in Cologne: The home of the deads is also home to the lively diversity of nature.

The place where peo-ple go for their final

resting can surprisingly be a place of life. Large cem-eteries located in green ar-eas in the middle of cities sometimes provide shelter for a great number of ani-mals and plants, playing an important role in the pro-tection of biodiversity.

In Melatenfriedhof, Co-logne’s oldest cemetery, tomb-stones and large angel sculp-tures are side by side with big old trees, which are now dressed in shades of brown and yellow for the autumn. The place is not gloomy as it would be expected, but peace-ful and lively; walking through the tree-lined avenues it is pos-sible to hear the birds chirping and see the shy squirrels run-ning.

Melaten looking for a tranquil place to spend the time, and that it is an oasis in the big city. “It is almost like a small jungle.”

The cemetery, one of the most famous in Europe, re-cently cele-brated its 200 years.

There are still secrets to be discovered in Melaten-friedhof. Ear-lier this year, two species of bats were confirmed to live there: the serotine bat (Ept-esicus serotinus) and the pipist-relle bat (Pipistrellus pygmaeus), in addition to three other spe-cies of bats already known. The discovery was made by biologist Sonja Fiegen, as part

of her work “Fauna and Flora in Melatensfriedhof”.

Alter Friedhof

The oldest cemetery in the city of Bonn, the Alter Fried-hof, is like a green isle pro-tected from the busy streets that surround it. It is the sec-ond biggest green area of the city, and home for animals and plants, like the huge 150 years old redwood tree. Visitors are seen there taking a walk or sit-ting on the benches.

Frank Wissing is biologist and a voluntary worker for the organization NABU (Natur-schutzbund) in Bonn, he is re-sponsible for making ornitho-logical excursions in the city. He explains that cemeteries can serve as habitat for spe-cies, as long as they are not so intensively gardened, with the heavy use of pesticides, for in-stance. “Some bird species use cemeteries for breeding, find-ing food, spending the night or staying during winter time. Many old cemeteries, like Al-ter Friedhof, have large trees that attract birds, like wood-peckers, that breed in holes in these trees”, says Wissing.

In Bonn’s Alter Fried-hof and in Melatenfriedhof, there are nest boxes hung on the trees, so that small birds and bats that usually build their nests in holes in the trees can go there to breed. These projects are made with a sys-tem of sponsorship, so that any person can contribute and be responsible for the nest.

According to Wissing, cemeteries make a good spot to watch birds. “They provide a specific habitat and structure that is not necessarily found in the city, so they’re quite inter-esting for bird watching. Some birds come here for the win-ter. Usually they all go south,

but there are a few spots along the Rhein River, and one of them is in a cemetery, where birds stay for the winter.”

Cemeteries are a place to

mourn the dead, but also a place to be explored. A walk through the solemn tomb-stones, observing different animals and plants, can make us appreciate the diversity of life.

Cemeteries can be a green isle, protected

from the city’sbusy streets

More than 40 bird species live and breed in Melaten. They include greenfinches, blue tits, woodpeckers, star-lings, robins, owls and green parakeets. Other dwellers are bats, squirrels and rabbits. Smaller animals and insects, like honey making bees and bugs, are also found.

The chief gardener of Me-latenfriedhof, Peter Lejeune, says that even bigger ani-mals, like foxes, live there. “The cemetery is closed in the night. This made possible for foxes, night active animals, to choose this place as their home. In other green areas of the city, they are disturbed by people, and here, not, because the cemetery is closed”, tells Lejeune.

The gardener says that many people come to visit

In old cemeteries, history, art and nature come together, and offer a peaceful and quiet atmosphere that invites many visitors. When they are located in the middle of the city, like Alter Friedhof in Bonn and Melatenfriedhof in Cologne, they become a refuge from the city’s noises and a place for leisure, where people come to spend some free time in the tranquil landscape.

Diana Keller, Social Sciences student in Cologne, says she of-ten goes to Melatenfriedhof for a walk. “I find it relaxing to come here; it is a nice place to clear up my mind. I like specially to sit un-der the shadows of the trees dur-ing warm summer days”, the stu-dent tells. “this is the first time I visit this cemetery and I am impressed with

its beauty. I enjoyed listening to the chirping birds and seeing the squirrels”, says Armin Hoffmann, retired, about Melatenfriedhof. People who work in Bonn city center can make a quick escape to Alter Friedhof. Rafael Garcia works in a building next to the graveyard: “It is a great place for contempla-tion. Sometimes I come here on my lunch break, to read a book, or just to walk around the sculptures”. the “cities of the dead” can be an interesting option for those

who want to explore a part of a city’s history and nature. With their plants and animals, they are a me-mento mori and a memento vitae.

Guided Tours

Melatenfriedhof in Cologne: www.melatenfriedhof.de

Alter Friedhof in Bonn: www.alter-friedhof-bonn.de

Urban oasis among tombstones

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Memento mori, memento vitae.