KAUKAUNA — This year, the city of Kaukauna is urging residents to move beyond No Mow May and embrace what’s called Slow Mow Summer.
The initiative promotes pollinators all summer long. This will be Kaukauna’s second year promoting the effort.
The City of Kaukauna, along with 1000 Islands Environmental Center, is promoting pollinator friendly actions that anyone can take part in to create pollinator friendly yards.
Read about what steps to take each month throughout the growing season to create better habitats for bees and other pollinators, click HERE.
Here’s what you can do:
- Raise your lawn mower blade and maintain your lawn height at 4 inches, mowing only when it reaches 6 inches.
- Plant native flowering plants, especially those with early season flowers.
- Eliminate or reduce chemicals on your lawn and other plants.
- Participate in Citizen Science to help collect data on native pollinators.
Residents should keep in mind the city’s Noxious Weed Ordinance that requires that all noxious weeds and other rank growth of vegetation be kept to a height of not to exceed one foot. Exceptions are given to vacant lots in the Industrial Park and to other lots in the city that are located on a face block where less than 50% of the face block is occupied.
Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other small mammals, are responsible for 1 of every 3 bites of food you eat. Without these pollinators, our food systems as well as our natural ecosystems are in trouble. Although more research needs to be done to fully understand the decline of pollinator populations including the causes and effects, it is important to take action now to better support our pollinators.
