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WWF botanist says No Mow May a great step, but there are other ways to help pollinators year-round

A botanist with World Wildlife Fund Canada says the No Mow May campaign is complicated, adding it might not necessarily be helpful in North America.

Ryan Godfrey says pollinators ideally need native plants as a food source, and it’s not likely they’ll appear on lawns if grass isn’t mowed for a month. Dandelions and red and white clover are not their best food source, he says.

Some municipalities have adopted bylaws that allow naturalized yards which are better suited to such pollinators as bees and butterflies.

Godfrey says the positive side of No Mow May is that it helps reduce the carbon footprint during the month.