No Mow May: we’re taking part are you?
We’re liberating our lawns and providing a space for nature on campus this May!
No Mow May is Plantlife’s annual campaign calling all garden owners and green space managers to allow lawns to grow freely for a month to provide a much-needed boost for wild plants and wildlife throughout summer. We’ve lost nearly 97% of flower-rich meadows since the 1970’s and along with them we’ve lost vital food needed by pollinators, like bees and butterflies.
As they did last year, our Environmental Services Unit will allow the grass to grow and wildflowers to flourish on several lawns across campus in May. The No Mow May areas have tripled compared with last year, accounting for 65% of the total green space, including the Engineering Building and University Green, to benefit biodiversity, tackle pollution and even lock away carbon below ground.
Julia Durkan, Acting Head of Environmental Sustainability says: “With over 23 million gardens in the UK, even the smallest grassy patches add up to a significant proportion of our land which, if managed properly, can deliver enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate.”
Due to Our Bicentennial Festiva in early June, we will need to resume mowing the week commencing 20May on Alan Gilbert Learning Commons, Brunswick Park and University Green.
Get involved
Join our University and choose not to mow some, or all, of your green space over the month of May. By cutting less and later you’ll let wild plants get a head start on the summer, so just sit back and watch the flowers grow. Share your wild lawns with @uomsust on any of the UoM Sustainability social media channels.