Neighbors Should Give No Mow May A Chance

To The Reader’s Forum:

Weekends I help my old mom, on Walnut Street in Lakewood. This last weekend she was distressed to get an official note from the village regarding her lawn, more than 6 inches long — if not cut, penalties would ensue!

Almost certainly this resulted from neighbors registering complaints. I am sorry they did not have the guts to come talk to us personally — I guess 99-year-old women are pretty scary. A good neighbor might have offered to cut it.

We would have thankfully refused. We believe (gasp!) that something is more important than a perfectly manicured lawn in the early spring. After that, of course we mow, and enjoy our lawn for beauty and recreation.

What’s with early spring? It’s about the bees. From Wikipedia: “At least 80% of our world’s crop species require pollination to set seed. An estimated one out of every three bites of food comes to us through the work of animal pollinators.”

Bees are our top pollinators, and they are in serious trouble. Bee populations have been decimated the last 20 years, through parasites and a phenomenon called “colony collapse.” Early spring is the hardest time for them, winter’s honey is gone and there are few flowers yet. Our lawns, left to grow in April and May, bring forth the most amazing and beautiful flowers, violets, forget-me-nots, a host of others. This can be a real boon and needed support for our struggling pollinators. “No Mow May” is an initiative that started in Great Britain, and is steadily gaining traction in this country as well.

So, dear neighbors and officials of Lakewood, forgive us for the temporary lapse! In fact, the lawn was the most beautiful meadow for those weeks. The world is indeed changing, and I think all of us are called to question old habits and assumptions. Little changes — like appreciating a lawn as a meadow for a few weeks — can have great and beneficial consequences. All we are saying, is give bees a chance!

With thanks for all your good work,

Sincerely,

Mark Ebersole

East Aurora