The month of May is set to be a quieter one without the roar of lawnmowers trimming grass in the community.
That’s because the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) is back with the No Mow May challenge, asking the community to refrain from cutting their lawn to support biodiversity and pollinators.
Over the course of a month, this will allow pollinator insects – including bees and butterflies – to carry out their life cycles and will encourage plants to grow.
The importance of staying mindful of wildlife became especially apparent this year, said KEPO environmental projects coordinator Julie Delisle, with storms and heatwaves a stark reminder of the impacts of climate change.
“It’s a good example of why we need to take actions like this that seems simple, but are contributing to environmental protection, species protection, and benefitting ourselves as well because of everything that these pollinators are giving to us,” said Delisle.
Year by year, Delisle said she’s noticed consistent participation from community members and is hoping to get the word out to even more people.
Last year, 27 people participated in the challenge by sending in photos on a weekly basis to document the progress – that’s all it takes to enter the challenge.
Delisle noted that some community members refrain from cutting their lawn – as No Mow May calls for – but don’t necessarily register as participants in the challenge.
But it might well be worth it to snap and send a few pictures over to KEPO to get a chance to win pollinator-themed prizes this year.
KEPO will also be hosting its annual tree giveaway next Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for those interested in adding a few more greens to their garden.
Though the goal for No Mow May is to garner as much community engagement as possible, from private lawns to public spaces, sticking to the No Mow May all month long can be a bit challenging when it comes to certain shared locations.
“We had to scale back on not cutting everything. There are certain areas that we have to cut for safety purposes,” said Terry Diabo, Jr., manager of the roads and highway department of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Public Works Unit.
Some areas will be maintained as usual, including sections along bike path and parks – where broken glass bottles, for instance, can be a hazard for kids playing, he said.
The community had also expressed they wanted the greenery at the cemetery to be cut. “There’s a lot of uneven ground there, so somebody can easily get hurt,” he said.
“As long as it’s not a safety concern, we intend to leave it for the month of May,” said Diabo, adding that the department will adjust as need be while prioritizing community safety.
As Delisle emphasized, this is not an all-or-nothing initiative. Those reluctant to leave their lawn uncut for an entire month can alternatively consider creating a small permanent pollinator garden in their backyard or simply mow their lawn less often than they would normally.
“It’s kind of eye opening to see all the life that is around you when you pay attention to it, when you give it a chance to flourish,” said Delisle.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation