01288 353576
office@bude-stratton.gov.uk
Contact us

No Mow May

Home No Mow May

What is No Mow May?

No Mow May is the botanical charity Plantlife’s annual campaign calling all 15 million garden owners in the UK not to mow during May, liberating their lawns and providing a space for nature.

Why should I take part?

We’ve lost nearly 97% of flower rich meadows since the 1970s. A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can even lock away carbon below ground – and best of all, to reap these benefits all you have to do is not mow your lawn in May!

With over 20 million gardens in the UK, even the smallest grassy patches add up to a significant proportion of our land which, if managed properly, can deliver enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate. 

Pollinators are crucial to food systems – and according to WWF UK, almost 90 percent of wild plants and 75 percent of leading global crops depend on animal pollination. 
 
This mow-free period allows more flowers to grow in Bude so pollinators can collect more nectar. Postponing your mowing season until June can help plants create enough nectar for up to 10 times more bees and other pollinators.
 
Did you know, for example, that a three acre meadow can be home to 9 million flowers producing enough nectar to support half a million bees every day? On a smaller scale, just one 100 sq metre of unmowed lawn can produce enough pollen to stock up six mining bee brood cells and enough nectar sugar to meet the needs of six bumblebees a day. 
 
Plus, plants considered weeds should be welcomed in lawns this summer – especially those such as dandelions. Although dandelions are outnumbered by daisies 85 to one, they produce 9% of a typical lawn’s pollen and 37% of its nectar sugar, according to Plantlife. Just eight dandelion flowers may produce enough nectar sugar to meet an adult bumblebee’s baseline energy needs. 
 
Any why not continue this approach after May, mowing less throughout the summer and consider leaving at least one part of your garden untouched? 
 
Orchid on the Downs

A Southern marsh orchid found in a No Mow area on Summerleaze Downs last year. Around 45 different species of plant and fungi including some key indicator species were identified in the 2022 No Mow areas on BSTC land. 

Where BSTC is NOT mowing this May?

The BSCT team will not be mowing a number of areas around Bude this May. Look out for the No Mow May signs. Full details can be found here: 

No Mow May Plan 2023

How are we monitoring the results?

The Environment and Climate Change Forum is working with interested parties to arrange a Nature Survey event. The idea is to survey prior to May some areas which will be mowed during No Mow May and some which aren’t, and to review the results at the end of the project.

You are invited to join in whether you are an amateur or a keen expert, to explore and record the rich diversity of the downs. You can sign up for iNaturalistUK in advance and use the app and photos or if you’d prefer, traditional paper and pencil.

Here’s the details for the first Nature Survey event:

Date: Sunday 30th April 2023
Time: 9.30am – 1.30am
Where: Summerleaze Downs, meet near Sainsburys
Suitable for: Adults (children accompanying parents permitted but not designed with children in mind)

Requirements:

  • Camera and or smartphone /tablet if possible; small notebook & pencil
  • Sign up to iNaturalistUK online and then join Bude Summerleaze Down project, download the app if using smartphone or tablet. Practice using the app if you can!
  • Any survey equipment you have, i.e. bug box, magnifying glass, binoculars etc
  • Wear suitable clothing and footwear etc
  • Bring your own refreshments

Useful additional information

Plantlife - No Mow May
Meadows Return to Historic Sites
Wildflower Meadow Maintenance
RSPB - Stop Mowing Your Lawn