What is No Mow May?
No Mow May is a movement that encourages people and organisations such as councils to let grassed areas to grow long/wild to help boost biodiversity. This simple act of not mowing your lawn for one month can have a positive impact on the environment and your local ecosystem. In this article, we will explore the benefits of No Mow May.
According to Plantlife, we’ve lost approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows since the 1930s . This has depleted vital food sources and with needed by pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.
Why is it important?
No Mow May is a small commitment with a big impact.
Plantlife reports that the UK’s lawns undergo 30 million mowings annually if maintained on a weekly basis. This frequent upkeep translates to a consumption of 45 million litres of petrol, contributing to approximately 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. To put it into perspective, this emission output mirrors the combined carbon footprint of roughly 10,000 average households.
By allowing lawns or grassy areas to flourish with wildflowers, you’re not only providing support for wildlife but also helping to combat pollution and isolating carbon beneath the soil. Considering there are over 20 million gardens in the UK, even the tiniest grassy patches add up to a substantial proportion of our land. When managed properly, these areas can deliver incredible benefits to nature.
Here’s how you can help…
- If you are responsible for managing any landscapes or gardens (your own or a client’s), avoid mowing throughout the month of May and consider dropping the frequency of mowing from thereafter to once a fortnight, or longer.
- Ditch the harsh fertilisers and pesticides. Embrace natural alternatives to create a healthier ecosystem.
- Support wildlife by installing bird feeders, bat boxes, and bee hotels to welcome a diverse range of creatures into your wildflower spaces.
- Consider swapping traditional lawns for biodiverse species rich lawns – they contain all the features of traditional lawn such as they are easy to care for and retain green coverage all-year round, however, they provide more biodiversity and if left to grow a little longer, can display an array of colour.
Wildflower Scientist, Helen Simmen: “We’re huge supporters of No Mow May at Wildflower Turf Ltd. By embracing the growth and blossoming of wildflowers and other plants, we create vital habitats that support a diverse range of wildlife.”