East Linton have been chosen by the charity Plant life to run a No Mow May Competition this year.
This spring, give your lawn a break. By not mowing, you help wildflowers bloom, support pollinators like bees and butterflies, and boost local biodiversity. Even a small patch left uncut can make a big difference!
What is No Mow May?
🌼 Encourages letting lawns and greenspaces bloom in May to support species-rich grasslands.
🌼 Aims to change attitudes and behaviors towards lawn management.
🌼 Promotes a movement to let grass grow uncut from May to July.
Why do it?
🌼Addresses loss of species-rich grassland due to agricultural changes, pollution and development.
🌼 It could have an enormous impact on wildlife since the UK has 23 million lawns and green spaces
like verges, churchyards, and playing fields.
🌼 The goal is to recreate traditional hay meadows on smaller scales.
🌼 Important for carbon storage, wildlife, ecosystem services, and wellbeing.
Does it mean your whole greenspace?
🌼No, participants can choose specific patches or areas.
🌼 Can include entire greenspaces with paths or designated sections.
The Competition!
🌼Managed and judged by Plantlife, to harness community engagement and competitive spirit.
🌼 Judging starts in June, with categories for best for nature, young person’s greenspace, and community greenspace.
🌼Judging based on plant species diversity, lawn length variation, rare plants, native species, habitat adjacency, creative design, moss content, and isolation.
Starting Out on No Mow Movement
🌼 Decide where, stop feeding the lawn and stop mowing from 1 st May.
🌼 Optional: create different areas of grass with different heights, e.g. cutting one area every 4 weeks and leave another area until late July.
🌼Observe what grows naturally.
Who Can Do This?
🌼 Size doesn’t matter: can be a verge, a small lawn, community greens or sports grounds.
How to Deal with Long Grass
🌼 Cut mid to end of July or later to benefit insects.
🌼 Either strim or mow on highest setting, but only half a strip at a time.
Then follow up on lower setting.
🌼 Rake away the grass and compost.
In Tyninghame
🌼 individual households can do their own thing
🌼 We are already taking a No Mow approach to the Cricket Pitch. This could be extended to the Football Ground and/or the Long Row common green area and/or the green in front of the Old School House.
This can be discussed at the AGM on 10th April.
More information and to Enter:
🌼 Contact eastlintonNMM@gmail.com or Ken Ilgunas kilgunas@yahoo.com for more information and a competition pack.