No Mow May
provide little benefit to wildlife. The Cottongims began observing No Mow May at both their South Lyon business and home in 2021, but did not receive any citations until last year.
No Mow May spreads
The movement has increasingly received formal recognition and support from local municipalities, among them: Ann Arbor and Royal Oak, which joined No Mow May in 2022, followed by Ferndale, Hazel Park and East Lansing in 2023.
Logan Applebee, zero waste manager for Ferndale, said the program has been successful for the city, with more than 700 households signing up to participate last year, with hundreds more positive social media engagements. There were only eight complaints filed with the city in May 2023 regarding overgrown grass and landscaping, and Applebee noted none of those referenced No Mow May.
The Ferndale City Council is set to participate in No Mow May again, unanimously approving the action recommended by the city’s environmental sustainability commission.
Royal Oak plans to renew No Mow May for the third time on Earth Day, April 22, City Commissioner Amanda Herzog said.
Approval of No Mow May, which the municipalities note is easy to do as it simply waives enforcement of existing noxious weed and long grass ordinances for the month, is not a measure the South Lyon City Council will follow.
South Lyon conflicted
During a September council meeting at which the Cottongims touted the benefits of establishing food sources for crucial pollinators, including bees and butterflies, council members were conflicted, citing concerns over aesthetics, seeds blowing into neighbors’ yards and potential issues with homeowners association rules.
Councilwoman Maggie Kurtzweil said she was happy interest is increasing in helping pollinators, but No Mow May wasn’t the way to help them, and could actually have a negative impact when the grass is cut in June and bees lose that habitat.
Mayor Steve Kennedy agreed.
“Pollinators have memories
and
know