(Photo via Pexels).
Cortland officials are inviting city residents to grow out their lawn without the risk of a citation next month, thanks to a city-wide program.
City of Cortland Common Council members unanimously approved the “No Mow May” initiative in December.
The program invites residents to register their properties by pledging not to mow in the month of May. During the month of May, the city’s code department will be directed to not issue citations for the properties enrolled in the program.
Details for the “No Mow May” program is as follows:
“Plants of all types including food crops, gardens, trees and others depend on pollinators to reproduce. Pollinators have been under significant anthropogenic pressure in recent years resulting in significant decline. Early spring is a time of vulnerability for pollinators as they emerge from hibernation and food sources are scarce. Residential yards can be an important stopgap nectar source for pollinators if left to grow naturally during this critical period. Lawn mowing removes flowers of violets, dandelions, and other flowering lawn plants.”
The deadline to apply for the program is April 21. For more information on the program and details on how to register, click here.
Diane Chu, a member of the city’s environmental advisory committee, spoke about the “No Mow May” program during a Common Council meeting in December.
