The grass is growing and the bees are buzzing…it’s that time again! The Dominican Sisters of Hope and The Center at Mariandale are participating in No Mow May, an Earth care initiative designed to boost the pollinator population. Across the globe, bees have been declining in number as a result of pesticide use and habitat loss. The United Nations has identified bees as “key allies in the fight against hunger and malnutrition,” and as part of our commitment to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, we’ve stopped mowing approximately half the land at Mariandale in order to protect pollinators as they come out of hibernation.
The movement is growing, and we’re seeing No Mow May signs pop up on other lawns around Ossining as a result of the local Green Ossining campaign.
No Mow May is just one among many ways to approach the pollinator problem, according to the Xerces Society, an international conservation organization. Depending on geography and individual circumstances, “No Mow April” or “Low Mow Spring” may be the better option. The ultimate goal is to mow less all year, to cultivate meadow areas year-round, and to plant more native plants and flowers.
Even if you don’t have a yard, you can grow plants for pollinators all summer long in planters or window boxes.
Bee spotted on a staff member’s unmown lawn
Are you participating in Now Mow May or the Pollinator Pathway? Let us know in the comments section below, or join the conversation at #NoMowMay #PollinatorPathway #DominicanSistersofHope #Mariandale