DURHAM, N.H. — Hate cutting the lawn? That may not be the worst thing in the world, as cutting the grass less may be good for the environment.
Research has shown that decreasing the number of times you mow the lawn can help create more biodiverse ecosystems, lower carbon emissions, build soil organic matter, and encourage lawn flowers to bloom, providing important food for bees after a long hibernation.
Alexandra Contosta, research associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and assistant director at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center, has researched “low mow” options, as well as the carbon storage in the backyards of New England cities.
Conosta says that the idea is to encourage people to mow their lawns less, for example, every other week.
“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 Contosta. “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.”
Other than it being environmentally friendly, mowing less can also be an economical, practical, and time-saving alternative to maintaining your lawn.
Shyloh Favreau, a diagnostic services program manager at UNH’s Extension, believes that creating pollinator-friendly landscapes is more than just mowing the lawn 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 believe that if “low mow” became more socially acceptable, it could be an additional way to do more for the environment by doing less.
UNH has shared tips on how to effectively mow less:
- 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.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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