Editorial: Move past 'No Mow May' to better help pollinators
Let’s talk about grass.
For the first time, the city of Des Moines this spring endorsed the “No Mow May” movement, whose goal is help pollinators flourish. Plants, including the taller grass and weeds of unmowed lawns, give bees, butterflies and other insects shelter and food, which can be scarce early in spring. Huge portions of our food supply — fruits, vegetables, grains ‒ depend on pollinators.
We welcome more attention, of any kind, on how typical American practices can disrupt the environment. Des Moines’ initiative got some sporadic buy-in. But in 2024, the city — and other Iowans — should leave behind the catchy “no mow” slogan in favor of encouraging what experts say are more effective and more sustainable efforts.
More: No Mow May proves an elusive goal for some in Des Moines ― even for a movement ringleader
Plenty of websites, including those of the National Wildlife Federation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, have published lists of tips for helping pollinators. Taking a month off from mowing is conspicuously absent from the lists. A New York turf specialist told the Associated Press it was “counterproductive” and a “feel-good, stop-gap measure.”
Going "no mow" and then suddenly going back to diligent mowing in late spring, even after flora has gotten a better hold for the season, can cause trouble, scientists say. Grass suffers when it loses most of its length all at once, and insects and other pollinators that became accustomed to the haven of an unmowed lawn might not adjust well to having to move elsewhere, if they escape danger from predators.
In the bigger picture, declines in pollinator populations, first noticed about two decades ago, remain a major concern. Habitat loss is one of many contributors to colony collapse disorder, which has particularly afflicted Western honeybees. If the goal is to make a real dent, the habitats we make in our yards should be longer-lasting.
To that end, experts advise these steps:
Eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, pesticide use in yards, as the University of Northern Iowa’s Kamyar Enshayan wrote in these pages last week. Pesticides harm pollinators.
Mow regularly, but only about every other week.
Set up sources of water, such as birdbaths.
Let leaves that drop in autumn sit in the yard until the weather gets and stays warm again.
Plant more gardens, including native plants.
Des Moines, for its part, took a welcome step forward on that last point in 2019, amending city rules to relax height limitations on non-grass vegetation between the sidewalk and the street. The issue came up after a west-side homeowner contested officials’ insistence that her flowers in that space were not permissible.
It can’t just be up to individuals, of course. Government regulators and companies must do their part when it comes to pollution, land use, climate change and other factors that have played big roles in creating a pollination crisis.
But property owners can do something. “No Mow May” does a service in chipping away at the presumption that only a green, manicured lawn reflects well on a resident or neighborhood. (By the way, if you haven’t already, please stop watering established grass.) Gardens with flowers and other plants are beautiful, too.
— Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Register editorial board
This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register's editorial board: Carol Hunter, executive editor; Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; Rachelle Chase, opinion columnist; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members.
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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Move past 'No Mow May' to better help pollinators
