From UNH News: Cutting the grass less may actually be better for the environment. Research shows that trimming the number of times you run the mower around the yard can help create more biodiverse ecosystems, reduce carbon emissions, build soil organic matter and encourage lawn flowers to bloom providing important food for bees after a long hibernation.
“The concept of mowing less started a movement known as No Mow May, encouraging people to stop mowing for the entire month, but the idea is to inspire people to change mowing habits and yard care for the whole year and viewing our lawns differently,” said Alexandra Contosta, research associate professor in the department of natural resources and the environment, and assistant director at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center. “People don’t realize that the small ecosystems found in their own yard — the grass, soil and vegetation — is important to the health of the whole planet and mowing less can not only help bees but also have a big impact on things like carbon storage and carbon emissions.”
Contosta, who has done research on low mow options as well as carbon storage in the backyards of New England cities, says the idea is to encourage people to mow less, for example, every other week. Along with being environmentally friendly, mowing less can be economical, practical and a time-saving alternative to replacing a lawn or even planting pollinating flower gardens.
According to Shyloh Fevreau, a diagnostic services program manager atUNH’s Extension, creating pollinator-friendly landscapes is about more than just mowing less.
“It’s about rethinking how we manage our yards to support biodiversity,” said Favreau. “By planting native species, leaving patches of bare soil and reducing fall clean-up — as well as delaying spring clean-up — we can provide vital food and nesting habitat for native bees and other pollinators. Even small changes — like letting wildflowers grow or skipping mulch in some areas — can make a big difference.”
Experts say if low mow became more socially accepted, it could be an easy way to do more for the environment by doing less. Here are some tips to help get started.
- Mow every two or three weeks — mowing less allows for the growth of spontaneous lawn flowers, like clover and dandelions, that provide important nectar for bees that are important for the pollination of food crops.
- Try a “no mow” area — Consider creating a zone that is cut less, or not at all, providing time savings as well as a beneficial habitat for butterflies. This can be useful for hard to mow areas or parts of the property that are not utilized. Try designing a mowed lawn path through your yard and leave other areas unmown. You can move the paths year to year.
- Eliminate chemicals — Insects use the ground, soil and leaf litter during various stages of their life cycle. Firefly larvae, which live one to two years, can provide free pest control by eating critters like snails, slugs and caterpillars.
- Give the rake a break — Skip raking grass clippings. Returning them to the soil provides high-quality, carbon-rich litter that organisms can break down and store in soil organic matter. This keeps the carbon out of the atmosphere, where it can contribute to warming temperatures.
- Shears versus chain saw — Pruning trees rather than cutting them down helps store carbon rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. If you need to cut down a tree, try to replace it with another one.
- Reduce the light — Outdoor lights can reduce insect populations by disrupting circadian rhythms, foraging, mating and reproduction.
- No mow neighborhood — In the spring, propose no and low mow ideas to others on your block, create a community garden during the summer and in the fall transform leaves into valuable mulch.
UNH Extension offers a fact sheet for Planting for Pollinators: Establishing a Wildflower Meadow from Seed as well as a Pollinator-Friendly Garden Certification Program for those looking to take practical steps toward more resilient and wildlife-friendly spaces.
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