A local nature club is asking Chatham-Kent residents not to mow their lawns in May as a favor to pollinators.
The local No Mow May initiative is being spearheaded by Bill Young, conservation chair of the Sydenham Field Naturalists.
The effort started in the UK and is gaining momentum in Canada. Young has taken this grassroots movement and redesigned it to benefit native biodiversity.
“To help create habitation and foraging for our early pollinators, this initiative requires the pausing of our mowing practices during the month of May,” he said in a release.
“Since 75 per cent of our world food crops depend on pollinators, it cannot hurt to allow them a head start.”
There are other benefits to pausing or reducing mowing, from saving money on lawn treatments and watering to reducing air pollution from gas mowers, he added.
Many people may be concerned that uncut lawns will look like jungles be hard to mow by the end of May, Young said. If your lawn threatens to become unmanageable, “cut it” a bit longer than usual, he suggested..
To let neighbors know why lawns are going uncut, Sydenham Field Naturalists are selling No Mow May yard signs for $20, with proceeds going to their conservation programs. To order one, email [email protected].
Another way to help pollinators and regain biodiversity is to plant native plants, said Young, whose group holds its annual native plant sale May 20. For details, see sydenhamfieldnaturalists.ca.