– Letter to the Editor –
– Letter to the Editor –
Letter to the Editor:
This spring, let’s try something different – no-mow May. It’s almost May, and because of our early spring weather, our lawns have gotten a headstart and look ready to mow, but I urge you to PAUSE, and consider waiting an extra week or two, or three or even all of May, and join the NO-MOW MAY movement.
There are cities and towns in Wisconsin, and other states, who have joined this movement to alter their usual mowing and lawncare habits. Some of these Wisconsin municipalities in full or in part, are Stevens Point, Fort Atkinson, Appleton and Oshkosh.
Some of the reasons are as follows:
• Pollinators need food sources, and can get that food from forage and plant remains that are left in our lawns from the previous year. The bee population is endangered, as you may know, and needs our help to survive and pollinate our vegetables, fruits, flowers, shrubs and trees.
• More mowing requires more fuel consumption and puts polluting fumes in our air.
• The noise factor of another month of mowing infringes on the joy of spring.
•More watering is sometimes needed when the lawn is cut especially short.
The Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC categorizes four variations of the No-Mow Movement: replace the turf with naturalized native grasses; naturalize your current lawn; add native plants to your landscape; and create an edible garden.
I know that many residents are just itching to get their lawnmowers out, but I highly encourage you to wait longer than you usually do this year and into future springs, for the love of nature and our environment. There is an ordinance in Ladysmith, that 8 inches is the maximum height allowable for turf grass to grow in our yards, so please do observe this (where applicable).
If preserving a sizeable patch of unmown grass in lieu of the entire lawn is more acceptable to your lawn grooming consciences, please try that. Every little change in our lifestyles contributes to a healthier earth.
Colleen Peters, Ladysmith
