Don’t be so quick to mow your grass this May. A growing “grass”-roots movement is inspiring people to protect the bees by not mowing their grass in May.
The “No Mow” movement began in 2020, when a group of citizens joined Appleton, Wisconsinan associate of B City USA Let’s come together to protect bees and other pollinating insects by letting our grass grow from May 1 to May 31. as they learned plant life A UK-based non-profit that originally came up with the idea that pollinators get lots of food and nutrition from grasses, weeds and other lawn plants when they flower in the spring. Harvesting them too early, before the insects have a chance to feed on them, has a direct impact on whether they survive and thrive or die.
To prove this point, researchers at Lawrence University of Wisconsin, a colleague Bee Campus USA, partnered with Appleton to see what a difference simply not mowing the lawn during the month of May could make. Scientists compared mowed and unmowed lawns A significant difference was found, Yards participating in No Mow May had five times more bees than nearby park lawns that had been mowed.
There are many other benefits of not mowing the grass for an entire month. This led to a delay in the use of noisy gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and herbicides, all of which can be a significant source of air pollution. It reduced the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which themselves threaten bee and butterfly populations. Those chemicals can affect children playing in the lawn, This saved money on lawn care. This gave people time to work on other landscaping projects, such as turning their yards into native habitats that provide benefits year-round. And, it educated people about the importance of protecting pollinators, a “keystone species” that are responsible for about a third of the food we consume.
The “No Mow” movement is growing!
In 2020, 435 people participated in Appleton’s program. This year, No Mau May is being celebrated in dozens of cities across the US, from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Bangor, Maine. Greenbelt, Maryland, even Lawn care companies support it,
“Taking a break from mowing your lawn can be great for the environment and your wallet,” encourages one person. “As well as saving money on mowing, you will provide the bees with tall grass and additional plant life in the form of wild dandelion, violets and clover. Mowing and herbicides inhibit the growth of these native yard species. Despite the appeal of a fresh green lawn, this can be a big problem for native bees, as bees depend on biodiversity for habitat and food sources… Allowing more native species to grow in your yard may not be a big project. It’s the perfect start that will keep pollinators coming back all year long.
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Even if you live in a condo or apartment, and don’t have a lawn of your own, you can encourage your community to grow grass in May. For example, Portland, Maine has over 30 acres of “no mow” park space where they only mow the grass once a year, in November.
Do you want to start your own No Maui movement? This way.
Check with your local government Check to see which property ordinances govern how lawns are maintained. resolutions were passed in Ann Arbor And New Paltz, in New York’s Hudson Valley, This may provide a model for you that your own community can adopt.
Invite neighbors and your local garden club Garden centers, and environmental groups to join you and help you spread the word.
Put up a yard sign. Download a free one from B City USA Or make your own.
B City USA suggests placing a mowing buffer in your yard, perhaps along your sidewalk, if you think a neighbor might object.
If you live in a warm climate where grass starts growing in March or early April, you can make May a no mow month instead. Where I live in the Washington, DC suburbs, spring begins to arrive in mid-February and the grass really starts to grow by the end of March. So my mantra is “No Maui.” ‘mole May.”
If you can’t go an entire month without harvesting, consider harvesting less. Even mowing the grass every other week increases bee abundance US Department of Agriculture researchers found,
Finally, try to shake the “whole lawn” mentality. Take inspiration from Meghan Give Owner of The Honey Exchange in Portland.
“When I look at a lawn covered in dandelions, I don’t see weeds,” she says. “I see bee food.”
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“Our Great National Parks: A World of Wonder” is a stunning five-episode docuseries narrated by former President Barack Obama. It showcases some of the planet’s most spectacular national parks, emphasizing their crucial role in mitigating natural disasters and protecting our environment.
The series highlights the importance of large national parks worldwide in combating climate change and preserving nature. It focuses on protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the diverse plant and animal life that make our planet special.
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