GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As temperatures begin to warm across Michigan, many are getting ready for the first mow of the season. Experts say to do the opposite.
The “No Mow May” movement is encouraging people to skip mowing during the month of May. The goal is to give plants and weeds a bit more time to grow, providing food for pollinators.
“Pollinators are emerging in the spring in most areas of the country. They’re hungry and need food,” said Laura Rost, the Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA coordinator.
Rost says she understands that “No Mow May” isn’t for everyone.
“Mowing less throughout the season would be ideal. You don’t have to go a full month of not mowing to help pollinators. It could just be mowing less, every two weeks or every three weeks,” she said.
About 40% of pollinator species on Earth are at risk for extinction in the coming years due to habitat loss, exposure to pesticides, disease and climate change. Loss of pollinators would have huge impacts on the food supply chain.
“Not only do they (bees) help 85% of all flowering plants reproduce, but they’re also responsible for 67% of agricultural crops we enjoy,” said Rost. “Bees are typically responsible for every one out of three bites of food we eat.”
Those who can’t participate in “No Mow May” are encouraged to plant native Michigan plants like the blazing star flower or the golden Alexander.
“There’s this whole wide world of bees and they all have different needs. If we plant native plants, we are more likely to be giving them food that is the quality that they’ve adapted or evolved to want and need,” said Rost.
Reduced usage of pesticides will help protect the nearly 3,600 bee species in the United States this spring. Rost encourages people to find a space on their property that will allow stop-over sites for pollinators.
“Some people will feel that it doesn’t work for them, but we hope that ‘No Mow May’ is one way people can start to accept a wilder landscape in their neighborhood and start reflecting on how to manage their property,” she said.
