Save the Mow ‘til Earth Day (SMTED) is our region-specific version of ‘No Mow May’, a campaign initiated in the Midwest where, ecologically speaking, spring happens later. Now, versions of No Mow May are popping up all around the world because lawn space is contributing greatly to the steep decline of biodiversity, a phenomenon that has been observed in just about every corner of our earth. This campaign was designed to mitigate the negative effects of lawn space on species that are active in early spring. 

Why this time of year?

The beginning of spring is an exciting time for plants and pollinators alike who are starting to awake from dormancy. This is also a critical time for both groups. Pollinators count on flowers being in bloom when they awake for food after not eating for months, and plants count on pollinators being active for pollination so they can reproduce. Without blooming flowers, pollinators will soon die, and without our pollinators, early spring flowers will soon be extirpated (regionally extinct). The beginning of spring (which ends roughly around Earth Day in our region) is such a sensitive time because most of the flowers in bloom are growing on land we typically mow. So... save the mow! 

Insect Diversity

Diverse ecosystems need high insect diversity, and insect diversity comes from plant diversity. This is because most insects are host specific, meaning that there are only one or few plants that they can eat; a result of a shared evolutionary history. So, a landscape with a diversity of plants will have a diversity of insects. Having diversity at these levels make plant and insect populations more stable, or in other words, less likely to decline. These groups are then able to better support the birds and mammals that rely on them for food. Unfortunately, our lawns support very little biodiversity since they are only one plant species. So…Save the Mow ‘til Earth Day to encourage biodiversity.

How do I do this?

When the season starts, do not mow until Earth Day, April 22. Depending on the condition of your lawn (max grass height 12”) and your personal schedule, you may choose to mow earlier or later. However, from previous years, we know that by Earth Day, the grass had variable heights between 4 and 12 inches, mostly around 8”. The Franklin Township ordinance limits our grass height to 10” but rest assured that the ordinance regulating grass height will not be enforced until after April 29th. 

What else can I do to help the environment?

• Reduce lawn space where you can. If there are areas of your yard that are seldom used, consider letting it rewild, growing a meadow, or starting a garden. 

• Do not apply any weed killer. This will allow beneficial plants to grow. 

• If you have an irrigation system, it is recommended to decrease the lawn watering as the native plants tend to do much better in low water conditions than cultivated grass. 

By saving the mow, you’ll allow yourself to see some of our most beautiful early spring life. Last year, our photo contest winner reported abundant native flowers such as violets, wild strawberries, and wood sorrel along with the insects that pollinate them like bumble bees and hoverflies. When you grow your lawn out be on the lookout for similar life! (If you see something you don’t recognize, apps like iNaturalist are a great tool for identification!)

~written by Jenny Kafas

Fall is perhaps the most beautiful time of year. The summer greenscape is transitioning into a landscape full of color as the leaves change before dropping to the ground. It’s all stunning until you have to spend a dreadful day going outside to rake.  But I have good news! What we really need to be doing is leaving our leaves alone. Fallen leaves, also called leaf litter, are great for the health of our soil, watershed, insects, and plants and by raking them away every year we are doing a lot of damage. Why? Let’s dive into it!

Flooding

You may have noticed an uptick in flooding and drought periods over the past few years. As climate change prevails, we are experiencing is rain that is more episodic, meaning that we are experiencing high rainfall in short periods of time, and long periods of time with no rain at all. During long stretches of time without rain, soil loses its ability to absorb water. This is especially true for soil that has no plants or plants with shallow roots, such as lawn, growing on it. When rain finally comes, between the soil that has lost the ability to absorb and filter water, and impermeable land such as paved roads and buildings, the rain has nowhere to go but our streets and basements, leaving us flooded with water rich in sediments and other pollutants. Land that has a healthy layer of leaf litter gains some immunity against this. Not only does leaf litter help filter water, it will store the water and allow it to reach the soil slower. This means the soil can stay moist between rainfalls and be able to absorb water the next time it rains. 

Insects

In recent decades we have been experiencing a massive insect decline that has had negative effects on both plant and bird populations. One way that you can help insects is by leaving leaf litter on the ground. It provides vital habitat and insulation for many overwintering insects such as bumble bees that burrow close to the soil surface. They are more likely to survive the winter when there is a layer of insulating leaf litter over them. Many butterflies and moths, such as the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, also camouflage their cocoons to resemble leaf litter and use fallen leaves to hide.

But what about my lawn?

Leaves do have the potential to kill lawn, but this is really only if leaves create a thick mat that smothers your lawn. In other words, if the leaves make it so you can’t see a single blade of grass, then you might want to do something if you want to see your lawn next year. There are two good ways to approach this. One is to go over your leaves with a lawn mower to chop them up and leave room for what’s underneath them to breathe. Another way to deal with this is to move your leaves to somewhere else but still on your property by blowing or raking. For the sake of the ecosystem, it’s important that you keep as many leaves in your yard as you can.

~written by Jenny Kafas

Before your first mow, take 1-3 photos of your lawn and send them to the Franklin Township Environmental Commission at environmental.commission@franklinnj.gov with "SMTED" in the subject.

The best pictures will be displayed on official Franklin Township Social Media pages.

Contact the Franklin Township Environmental Commission at environmental.commission@franklinnj.gov or Sue Kafas at suzkafas@gmail.com.

Please put "Lawn Sign" in the subject line.

Lawns signs will be available April 1, 2025.

Donations are appreciated.