A garden cemetery goes green

Some of the grass is looking a little long at the famous, meticulously groomed cemetery in West Cambridge. But it's all done with a bow to the environment and the cemetery's rural past.

''When we first started this experiment, people thought the grounds crew were on strike," Dennis Collins, curator of plant collections for Mount Auburn Cemetery, told a group of visitors at a recent tour of the 175-acre garden that's home to more than 5,500 species of trees and thousands of shrubs and groundcovers.

The unkempt lawn in designated areas, explained Collins, is just one of a number of ongoing efforts by the horticultural staff to manage the cemetery's renowned grounds in a more environmentally friendly way. By letting the grass grow longer, officials said the need for mowers that emit harsh fumes has been greatly reduced.

''We've cut back on mowing in certain naturalistic areas, partly to enhance the 1800s rural cemetery look when they didn't have those mowers," said Dave Barnett, vice president of operations and horticulture.

Fewer mowers also mean ''reduced maintenance, reduced labor, gas, and noise pollution, as well as gasoline emissions," Barnett added.

For the past 10 years, Collins, Barnett, and their team have introduced a variety of ways to maintain the landscape at Mt. Auburn, the nation's first landscaped cemetery and a national historic landmark, with a firm ecological approach. And while some changes mean relinquishing newer technology that eased labor, the result, they said, is an earth-friendly process.

''It's the right thing to do," said Barnett. ''We all think being environmentally conscious is so important today. We are committed to that, whether it's water conservation or just conserving the environment in general, so it seems like a no-brainer, but there are some easier ways to do things -- perhaps if you just use the cutting-edge technology -- but easier isn't always better."

The decision has meant other aesthetic adjustments to the usually pristine grounds, including one experiment that's not always pretty to look at.

In an attempt to control algae in one of the cemetery's ponds, unsightly giant orange onion bags filled with barley straw are floated on the water. The barley triggers a reaction that reduces the green film and clears up the pond water. After the bags fill with water, they eventually sink below the surface. (Since they're not biodegradable, they're removed annually.)

''It's a natural, organic way to try to deal with our algae [induced] green water problem," said Barnett.

Other projects at the cemetery include discontinuing the use of many pesticides. Trees have been planted that are less susceptible to disease, and predator insects that kill harmful bugs have been introduced to the cemetery's greenhouse, where 40,000 annuals are grown each year, then transferred to the grounds. Today white flies, aphids, and thrips are controlled with mites and two kinds of wasps, instead of chemicals.

''These are things traditional greenhouse management always relied on pesticides for," said Collins. ''It's actually a significant departure from the old days."

Still, he said, sometimes a pesticide is necessary. ''We still have pesticides in our toolbox. I think it's fair to say we will use them if the threshold is crossed."

With soaring temperatures, water consumption is also an issue.

To counter the restrictions put on water use during droughts, the staff erected a rainwater-collection system at the greenhouse. Gutters connected to the roof are attached to several 55-gallon barrels. The system can store 660 gallons at one time. This season the cemetery has used 3,500 gallons, mainly to water flowerbeds.

''This has amounted to a fairly significant savings in the amount of water we use," said Collins.

Cemetery officials know that the process of reform is a slow, steady one.

''There is a growing awareness in the public in general about what condition the environment is in and the fact that we are abusing it, but learning how to change -- that is something that will happen sort of gradually; there's no easy quick solution," Collins said.

For Cambridge resident Ted Zalewski, 60, a member of the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery and a special-needs teacher, the ecological lessons are critical.

''We must of course conserve," said Zalewski, who hopes to one day have his own arboretum, while on a recent tour.

''I have a grandson now, [so] I am very much committed to conservation."