April 28, 2022
The grass in our community might be a tad long in some areas in May, but don’t worry — there’s a good reason behind it.
The City of Cornwall will be undertaking some concrete actions in May to help wild pollinators throughout the City.
No-Mow May, which was approved by City Council on Monday, will see the City not enforce Section 3 of the Yard Maintenance By-Law 2013-212 as amended, from May 1 to May 31, 2022. This will allow property owners to voluntarily have all grass and weeds on their properties to grow more than 15 cm for the month of May.
In addition to increasing food sources for pollinators, not mowing grass in May also prevents disturbance of overwintering insects and amphibians that may be burrowed or hiding in leaves and lawns. It should also be noted that over 80 per cent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators to produce seeds.
Letting lawns grow and weeds and flowers to prosper also reduces a homeowner’s carbon footprint, as people do not have to cut their grass using gas mowers, which aligns directly with the City’s Zero Carbon goal.
“This is an initiative that started years ago in the UK,” said Angela Parker, the City’s Sustainability Project Coordinator. “Our neighbours in Russell Township encouraged No Mow May last year to help the declining bee population. No Mow May is about the much-needed pollinators. Without pollinators, terrestrial ecosystems would not survive. They are key to our existence.”
Certain City-owned properties deemed less-frequented, such as the north-west corner of Second Street East and Boundary Road, will not be mowed during No Mow May.
Any Cornwall homeowner wishing to participate are asked to register their property by visiting the following link. The City will distribute bilingual lawn signs on the first week of May to the first 100 residents that register. The signs will then be picked up in early June.
