Are you Ready to Observe No Mow May?
What could possibly be better than doing nothing and helping the earth? Leave your lawn mower in the shed or garage in April and May and do something good for pollinators. Even if you haven’t converted your yard to native plants, this simple step can help bees and other pollinators survive and do their critical work for the ecosystem.
No Mow May began in the United Kingdom and was brought here a decade ago by the nonprofit Bee City USA. Bee City USA points out that “Lawns cover 40 million acres, or 2%, of land in the US, making them the single largest irrigated crop we grow.” The intense management of lawns across the country adversely affects both the overwintering of native species and the food sources they need to thrive. Giving that patch of green in your yard a rest during the spring can support beneficial insects to improve your neighborhood’s ecological health.
There is also more that community members can do to foster the habitat needed by native pollinators. Unfortunately some communities in Michigan still consider unmown lawns as nuisances, leading to the potential for sanctions from the local government. If your local government still has a requirement to mow your yard, consider spending the time saved by not mowing as time to contact your council members, commissioners or trustees and urge them to follow the lead of Albion, MI, where a resolution supporting the No Mow May Initiative was adopted in 2022. Educating your local officials about the importance of protecting pollinators in this simple way can make a difference across the entire community.
There are opportunities to proactively support the expansion of native plantings to replace the non-native grasses that dominate lawns today. Washtenaw County encourages landscaping for pollinators and birds, providing guidance on their website to help homeowners and businesses get started. A presentation for the Huron Valley Group this winter by Rita Mitchell and Eileen Dickinson walks through the process of setting up neighborhood pollinator gardens in Ann Arbor.
Growing Green - Sierra Club is working to promote alternatives to the monocultures of non-native plants that demand fertilizers and pesticides to maintain their artificial uniformity. On Earth Day, April 22, they’ll join the EGReen Earth Day Celebration in Grand Rapids to encourage ending pesticide use and moving to sustainable, native plantings in Michigan’s second largest city.
Look around your community for organizations and businesses promoting No Mow May and native plantings. And use the time you regained by doing the right thing for pollinators by letting your lawn grow this April and May.