why specialists recommend no longer mowing the lawn in May

To protect biodiversity, naturalists encourage you to leave your mower turned off, particularly during spring, when nearly 80% of insects have disappeared over the last 30 years.

Since 2019, the “No Mow May” movement has been active in Great Britain, the land of short grass. A slogan now followed in France, particularly in Parisian public gardens. Enough to allow insects to come out into the spaces left fallow and mix with the budding flowers…

It was still a little cool that morning in this Parisian garden where children were playing, so the insects were out in force in these few square meters deliberately left fallow, where tall grass mixed with small purple flowers. But Alexandre Barraud, research manager at the NGO Pollinis, assures us: “I was still able to see different species of bees last week here!” he rejoices.

Promote biodiversity

Good news, since “vsIt has been 20 to 30 years now that we have observed strong declines in insects. We often talk about 70 to 80% less population over the last 30 years. There are plenty of factors leading to decline, including pesticides, human activities in general, and also loss of resources and habitat.“, he points out.

“By mowing your lawn every month, you remove all the flowers on it and therefore potential resources for different insects.”

Alexandre Barraud

at franceinfo

Let a plot grow at home or in parks to promote biodiversity, this is also a principle that drives Noëlle Parisi, technical manager of the Jardin des Plantes de Paris “We have a lot of pigeons that come to feed on the lawn. Afterwards, when the flowering season arrives, we will have a lot of insects. Many bees and other families of insects will be present on the meadow” , she assures, in front of this lawn that has not been mowed for two years.

It is, for her, proof of “net profit” not to mow your lawn, for the sake of wildlife: “A lawn that is mowed at 4 centimeters, there is no life in it,” explains Noëlle Parisi.

“Nature knows how to do it very well too”

“In fact, it’s all about the management palette, how you decide to manage your garden”, adds the technical manager of the Jardin des Plantes. “Either it’s very strict management, you’re always intervening, or you decide that you’re going to take your time, relax and watch nature do it, because nature knows how to do it very well. Also, she didn’t always need us!”

Not mowing at least a piece of the garden in May is an idea that is making progress even among equipment manufacturers. Since last year, a major brand has been offering a “rewilding” on its robot lawn mowers, so that they automatically leave part of the lawns they pass through away from their blades.