Annual 'No Mow May' Challenge

What can you do after May?

• As you go back to mowing your greenspaces, choose to decrease your mowing frequency and mow only once or twice per month.
• When you mow, put your mower at the highest setting. This allows low lying flowers to continue to grow and decreases re-flower time for those that are mown. 
• If you can, allow a section of your lawn to remain uncut all summer long. 
  
  

2023 'No Mow May' Challenge

Pledges will be open in April 2023

What is 'No Mow May' challenge?

'No Mow May' challenge is a movement that asks everyone to pause mowing their lawns or greenspaces for the month of May to protect pollinators such as bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife in the greenspaces.

What is pollination and what are pollinators?

Pollination is an essential part of plant reproduction where pollen from a flower’s stamen (male flower part) drops onto a pollinator such as a bee or a butterfly. The pollinator then takes this pollen and drop it onto same or another flower’s stigma (female flower part). The fertilized flowers then yield fruits or vegetables that we eat.

source: https://www.gardeners.com/

Which food is dependent on pollination?

One in three bites of food you eat depends on pollinators. Foods that are dependent on pollination include coffee, almonds, oranges, avocados, plums, cherries, tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, eggplants, limes, lemons, kumquats, kiwi, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, and many more.

How can by not mowing your lawn for the month of May protect pollinators and other wildlife?

Unmown lawns or greenspaces allow flowers, including dandelions, to bloom which provide pollinators and other wildlife with food and a much-needed home in spring.

source: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/

How is MODL taking part in the No-Mow May challenge?

MODL has pledged to protect the biodiversity by not mowing the following five parks and facilities during the month of May: Miller Point Peace Park, Church Lake Access Site, Indian Falls, Mushamush Beach Park, and Wile’s Lake Park.

How often should you mow your lawns or green spaces?

It is recommended to mow less – ideally only once every month, to allow the maximum number of flowers to grow in your lawn that can significantly improve habitat for pollinators. It is also recommended to leave a patch or two unmown where possible to allow grass to grow longer.

What if you cannot avoid mowing?

If you are unable to avoid mowing in May, you can also try practicing 'rotational mowing'. Rotational mowing means to leave some areas or a patch of your lawn unmown. This can help in preserving habitat while creating pathways to move around the greenspaces. Depending on your lawn, you can mow in blocks, strips, patches, or random patterns, as per your convenience. With rotational mowing, areas or patches that are mowed this year can be left unmown the next year, and vice versa.