Archaeologists will use radar equipment during the survey, which is being carried out with the help of Queen's University Belfast, on land leased by the Ulster Wildlife Trust.
The agency was asked by the Catholic Church's Down and Connor Diocese on behalf of the Trustees of Milltown Cemetery, to use its expertise to clarify what area was used in the past for the burials of infants and other people.
NIEA’s Assistant Director of Built Heritage, Dr John O'Keeffe, explained: “We are undertaking an archaeological investigation of these lands to help clarify what area is likely to have been used for human burial in the past.
"We recognise the sensitive nature of the issues that have been raised about the present use of these lands, and therefore we will conduct a survey that does not involve any archaeological excavation. We will not be digging up any graves that are identified.
“The results of this investigation should help all those concerned in the future management of the land. We will not be able to provide any greater degree of certainty than already exists about the precise location of specific individuals thought to have been buried here.
"NIEA Built Heritage will not be acting as arbiters in this case, and our role is concerned at this time with using our professional expertise to assist everyone.”
The lands to be investigated are leased by the Ulster Wildlife Trust who obtained them from the diocese of Down and Connor and are outside the present legal boundaries of the cemetery.
NIEA Built Heritage will not conduct an archaeological excavation of the site but has agreed to undertake a site inspection survey, followed up by selective use of ground-penetrating radar, which will help identify areas of ground that are likely to contain burials.
The archaeological investigation of these lands is scheduled to get underway on 10 February and be completed by 13 February. It will be undertaken on behalf of NIEA by the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork (CAF), based at Queen’s University.
A report will be prepared by CAF and submitted to NIEA Built Heritage within 10-15 days of the on-site work being completed and will be made available for public viewing after families have been informed.
Dr O'Keeffe said: “This is a special case where archaeological expertise can be used to help inform the future management of lands at Milltown Cemetery and the Bog Meadows. The results of this archaeological investigation will be made publicly available.
"Given the sensitivites around this, particularly for the families involved, I would urge that the team be allowed to carry out this survey without any interference.”
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