A North Texas Council of Governments CLIDE AWARDEE, 2025
Mission Statement:
The Constellation of Living Memorials exists to transform neglected historic cemeteries into living, regenerative memorial landscapes that honor those interred, restore native ecosystems, and cultivate community stewardship, education, and well-being.
Vision Statement
A nationwide constellation of vibrant, ecologically restored burial grounds that reconnects every generation and neighborhoods to its cultural roots and native nature—creating places where remembrance, biodiversity, and community thrive together.
Why Join the Constellation of Living Memorials?
The Constellation of Living Memorials (CLM) is a transformative initiative launched in November 2023 by Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery to replicate their successful cemetery restoration model across Dallas, Texas. The success of the two-year pilot aimed to restore five historic cemeteries—ranging from public to privately-owned—into ecologically sustainable, culturally significant green spaces, now expands nationwide. Every location holds historical significance and is increasingly threatened by urban sprawl.
The program uses an interdisciplinary, community-centered approach that balances ecological restoration with cultural preservation. Each site retains its unique character, with restoration methods tailored to soil, canopy, and topography—preserving both the environmental and historical integrity of these sacred places.
The initiative’s foundation is built on three pillars: community, government, and the environment. Public-sector involvement includes working with the City of Dallas Office of Historic Preservation and the Park and Recreation Department. Additional partners include the Native Plant Society of Texas, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension programs: Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, & 4-H, EarthX, Preservation Dallas, Texas by Nature, Preservation Texas, and local youth groups.
CLM addresses pressing urban issues by reclaiming neglected cemeteries—often plagued by crime, dumping, and disrepair—and transforming them into community assets. These restored spaces promote biodiversity, offer educational and wellness programs, and serve as living memorials where cultural heritage and ecological stewardship meet.
Restored cemeteries contribute to climate resilience, public health, and social cohesion, while providing models for sustainable land care. Public engagement is central. Sites serve as biodiversity reservoirs—some housing rare or presumed-extinct plant species—offering seeds for reintroduction into nursery trade.
CLM has already catalyzed policy shifts, such as the Dallas Landmark Commission’s new emphasis on landscape conservation. The project has garnered national attention through a New York Times feature and is developing a replicable national model in partnership with the University of Maine and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Program to address two-thirds of the estimated 15,000 neglected cemeteries in Texas—and beyond.
Ultimately, CLM seeks to reclaim more than land. It restores identity, reveals untold histories, heals and empowers neighborhoods to participate in long-term stewardship. As Dallas prepares for dramatic population growth by 2060, CLM envisions historic cemeteries as critical infrastructure for sustainable, inclusive urban futures. By integrating natural restoration with cultural preservation, CLM demonstrates how forgotten spaces can become powerful sources of healing, education, environmental health, and community pride.
CLM is a tapestry that bridges the gap between humanity and nature. It is a constellation of interwoven landscapes, connecting the heart of cities to their rural environs and even to oceans. In a country where more than 85% of Americans are urban dwellers, CLM creates an opportunity to partner with spirit, reverse nature deficit disorder, and understand the driving forces of the past, thereby promoting healing and unity.
A two-year pilot was launched in November 2023, and five historic cemeteries in South Dallas Communities have committed to participating in the rigorous program. As per the Dallas 2024 Health Equity Index, neighborhood health statistics surrounding each cemetery are:
W.W. Glover – 75227 Rated 4, 68.2
Santo de Cemento – 75211 rated 5, 89.3. (dropped due to accessibility issues)
Persimmon – 75241 rated 4, 78.7 (dropped due to ownership issues)
Carver – 75217 rated 5, 90.2
Oakland 75215 rated 4, 76.9
Oak Cliff 75203, rated 5, 94.0 (dropped due to transfer of ownership- on hold)
Beeman – 75223. Rated 4, 74.2
Western Heights – 75208, rate rated 4, 58.0