sustainability Concept Paper Connecting Existing Cemeteries Saving Good Soils (for Livings) Riccardo Scalenghe 1 and Ottorino-Luca Pantani 2,* 1 Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali (SAAF), Università degli Studi di Palermo Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128 Palermo, Italy; [email protected] 2 Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie, Alimentari Ambientali e Forestali (DAGRI), Università degli Studi di Firenze, Piazzale Cascine 28, 50144 Firenze, Italy * Correspondence: olpantani@unifi.it Received: 13 November 2019; Accepted: 19 December 2019; Published: 21 December 2019 Abstract: Background: Urban sprawl consumes and degrades productive soils worldwide. Fast and safe decomposition of corpses requires high-quality functional soils, and land use which competes with both agriculture and buildings. On one hand, cremation does not require much land, but it has a high energy footprint, produces atmospheric pollution, and is unacceptable to some religious communities. On the other hand, as exhumations are not practiced, “green burials” require more surface area than current burial practices, so a new paradigm for managing land use is required. Conclusions: In this paper, we propose a concept for ‘green belt communalities’ (i.e., ecological corridors with multiple, yet flexible, uses and services for future generations). With the expansion of urban centers, ecological corridors gradually disappear. Cemeteries for burial plots preclude alternative uses of the land for a long time. By combining these two aspects (need for connectivity and land take imposed by cemeteries), two positive results can be achieved: protecting memories of the past and connecting ecosystems with multiple-use corridors. This new paradigm works best in flat or hilly terrain where there are already several urban agglomerations that contain traditional cemeteries. Stakeholders who might consider this concept are local administrators, planners, and the communities of individuals who share specific beliefs on burial systems. Keywords: urban ecology; urban areas; urban environments; disposal practice; religion 1. Introduction The fact of our mortality ensures a never-ending need for a method of disposing of our mortal remains [1]. With the premise that soil is a finite resource undergoing increasing degradation and that cemeteries lock up valuable land, the objectives of the present work are to raise awareness of issues concerning human burial and propose alternatives that may balance the significance of community burial sites, with respect to various religious faiths, and protect the local ecological systems in which we live in a world with increasingly limited resources. The exponential growth of humankind [2] necessarily implies the expansion of cities [3]. Soils involved in such an expansion, whatever their features and properties may be, completely dismiss their productive and buffering functions [4,5]. Expansion and incursion of urban development into natural areas is partially due to cemeteries which are historically bound to human settlements. For public health reasons, burial grounds require quality soil that is deep, well-drained, and biologically active [6–8] (Figure1). As valuable soils become rare due to urbanization and other diverse and general soil degradation [9,10], new strategies aimed at optimizing soils are required when disposing of corpses, as happens with other basic human activities. To bury dead bodies in soil is an ancient practice, even preceding the time when soil was specifically managed for producing Sustainability 2020, 12, 93; doi:10.3390/su12010093 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 13 Sustainabilitydiverse and2020 general, 12, 93 soil degradation [9,10], new strategies aimed at optimizing soils are required2 of 13 when disposing of corpses, as happens with other basic human activities. To bury dead bodies in soil is an ancient practice, even preceding the time when soil was specifically managed for producing foodfood [[11].11]. RenduRendu etet al.al. [[12]12] recentlyrecently revealedrevealed thethe presencepresence ofof NeanderthalNeanderthal burialburial sitessites andand speculatedspeculated onon Neanderthals’Neanderthals’ cognitivecognitive capacitycapacity toto createcreate them.them. OneOne ofof thethe oldestoldest burialburial groundsgrounds isis locatedlocated inin aa cavecave atat MountMount Carmel,Carmel, PalestinePalestine wherewhere aa man,man, woman,woman, andand childchild werewere laidlaid toto restrest withwith deliberationdeliberation andand greatgreat carecare [ 13[13].]. Figure 1. The historical development of the city of Turin, Italy, which presently occupies ~130 km2 hosting some 908,000 citizens. The continuous grey lines indicate the perimeters of the town when it Figure 1. The historical development of the city of Turin, Italy, which presently occupies ~130 km2 was: (i) Augusta Taurinorum (conventionally 28 AD), inhabited by less than 5000 citizens (the grey square,hosting W some of the 908,000 Roman citizens. quadrilateral The continuous is the probable grey necropolis);lines indicate (ii) the the perimeters capital of theof the Duchy town of when Savoy it (seventeenthwas: (i) Augusta (XVII) Taurinorum century) with (conventionally about 40,000 28 inhabitants; AD), inhabited and (iii)by less the than capital 5000 of citizens the Kingdom (the grey of Sardiniasquare, W (nineteenth of the Roman (XIX) quadrilateral century) with is the about probable 90,000 necropolis); inhabitants. (ii) The the currentcapital of main the Duchy cemeteries of Savoy are the(seventeenth quadrilaterals (XVII) filled century) in violet. with Brownabout 40,000 Roman inha numbersbitants; indicate and (iii) the the classes capital of of Land the Kingdom Capability of Classification,Sardinia (nineteenth which depend (XIX) century) on soil limitations with about to 90, various000 inhabitants. uses: class The I does current not have main any cemeteries limitation are to crops,the quadrilaterals class II and III filled show in moderate violet. Brown to severe Roman limitations numbers that indicate require the special classes conservation of Land Capability practices, andClassification, class IV requires which carefuldepend soil on soil management limitations due to various to severe uses: limitations class I does (source not: Regionehave any Piemonte,limitation www.regione.piemonte.itto crops, class II and III/agri show/suoli_terreni moderate/ suoli1_50to severe/carta_suoli limitations/gedeone.do that require). special conservation practices, and class IV requires careful soil management due to severe limitations (source: Regione CremationPiemonte, www.regione.piemonte is another way to dispose.it/agri/suoli_terreni/suoli of corpses as an1_50/carta_suoli/gedeone.do). alternative to burial. The oldest known cremation as an alternative to burial is probably the one in New South Wales, Australia [14] where a coupleCremation (40,000 is BP) another were discoveredway to dispose as a of fully corpses articulated as an alternative skeleton (Mungo to burial. Man) The andoldest cremated known remainscremation (Mungo as an alternative Lady). Since to 2002,burial cremation is probably has the been one the in New dominant South form Wales, of bodilyAustralia disposal [14] where in the a Netherlandscouple (40,000 [15 ].BP) were discovered as a fully articulated skeleton (Mungo Man) and cremated remainsWith (Mungo time, land Lady). set aside Since for 2002, burials cremation (cemeteries) has been have the become dominant systematically form of bodily designated disposal in specific in the areasNetherlands [16]. In addition[15]. to burial of corpses, cemeteries are places where the memories of the dead are supported by enduring funerary monuments. This is perhaps one of the main reasons that people prefer burialWith to cremation, time, land although set aside preference for burials for (cemeteries) the latter is increasinghave become worldwide. systematically In the designated past, human in remainsspecific wereareas considered[16]. In addition as ‘waste,’ to burial therefore of corpse burials, cemeteries sites located are someplaces distance where the from memories cities became of the populardead are in supported the nineteenth by enduring century funerary and cremation monuments. became This popular is perhaps at the endone ofof twentieththe main reasons century. that peopleNowadays prefer burial some to innovative cremation, ‘dispersal’ although practices preference are for challenging the latter theis increasing idea of containing worldwide. the In dead the withinpast, human special remains death spaces were separated considered from as 'waste,' everyday th environmentserefore burial forsites the located living [some17]. However, distance from care iscities needed became when popular implementing in the initiativesnineteenth and centur policiesy and in ordercremation to balance became the popular various demandsat the end and of expectationstwentieth century. of a cemetery’s purpose and use [18]. The degradation of high-quality “prime” soils and the growing interethnic and interreligious population centers create the need for a new paradigm in the management of corpses because the Sustainability 2020, 12, 93 3 of 13 conflict between land use for the living and that of the dead is becoming increasingly stringent. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new paradigm focusing on integration and propose new relationships among constructs, between respect for religious beliefs,