Relena Ribbons’ fascination with pollinators has led to her blending citizen science and climate justice through ongoing community engagement projects in her role as a geoscience professor at Lawrence University in Appleton. Alongside her colleague, Dr. Israel Del Toro, and more than 500 community members, Ribbons started the city’s “No Mow May” project to help local pollinators find the food they need in spring and improve their reproduction and population levels.
“No Mow May” is a global initiative that encourages homeowners and businesses to grow their lawns throughout the month, providing pollinators grassy habitat and access to the pollen and nectar of early spring bloomers like dandelions, violets, creeping Charlie, and other often weedy flowering plants found in our lawns. Although intended as a small case study to measure the success in supporting pollinators across Appleton, Ribbons and her colleagues were surprised by the copious amounts of willing participants. The researchers observed that there was more species diversity and abundance of bees present in the lawns participating in “No Mow May.” Due to its ongoing popularity and success, residents have been exempt from the city’s ordinance that restricts grass height on lawns since last year, and the practice has become an important part of Appleton culture.
Plantlife, a wild plant conservation charity, created “No Mow May” in the United Kingdom to counteract the growing number of lost meadows and grasslands pollinators rely on. With less natural space dedicated to flower-rich meadows, lawns are an opportunity to offer patches of wildflowers for pollinators in urban and suburban landscapes. Utilizing portions of the season for growing rather than mowing allows plants to establish roots, which increases carbon storage, and less lawn maintenance helps decrease carbon emissions related to lawn maintenance.
Appleton isn’t the only city taking inspiration from Plantlife’s project. “No Mow May” is gaining traction across the United States. In Wisconsin alone, more than 20 municipalities are taking part. Surrounding Midwest states are also noticing the success of revitalizing lawns for pollinator gardens. The movement is forging new relationships and empowering communities to take action in ways that will benefit Wisconsin’s climate response. “No Mow May” shows how community-based projects are one step toward effective climate responses that not only help the local ecosystem but also provide community members with opportunities for education and involvement in climate change action.
