No Mow May

No Mow May began as an initiative encouraging homeowners to let their lawns grow naturally without mowing them during the month of May. This practice aims to support biodiversity by providing habitat and food for pollinators like bees and butterflies. The residual impacts of participating in No Mow May can include a healthier lawn ecosystem, increased pollinator populations, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from lawn mowers.

This year, La Crosse Parks, Recreation and Forestry is looking to go beyond No Mow May by including sustainable lawncare practices, lawn alternatives, pollinator and rain gardens, and more! By allowing native vegetation to flourish, individuals can contribute to a more sustainable environment and promote the well-being of local wildlife.

Registration is now open! The program begins on May 1st and ends on May 31st. Residents who register are given a one-week grace period to get their lawn back into compliance by June 7, 2024. 

New for 2024: 

• Guidance Document: This year, we're adding a guidance document to our educational materials surrounding No Mow May. Learn how to get started, how to go beyond No Mow May, and additional sustainable lawn care practices to take you through spring and into summer! Click HERE for a copy of the guidance document.

• Spring Into Sustainability!  Join us Wednesday, April 24 from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the Myrick Park Main Shelter to kick off the spring sustainability season! Learn from educational seminars with master naturalists, engage with members of La Crosse Area Waters, make-and-take native seed bombs, and register for No Mow May 2024!

• No More Yard Signs: We will no longer be providing Yard Signs. If you have signs from year’s past – we encourage you to reuse them**. If you are a new participant and would like signage to display, please use this free download to print your own poster or yard sign. 

• Stickers: Show your support for No Mow May by displaying your free sticker with registration! Participants must register to receive a sticker, and can pick up their sticker at City Hall or Black River Beach Neighborhood Center beginning April 2nd.

**IMPORTANT: Yard signs are not allowed in the city boulevards, please place on your private property** 

FAQs: 

How can I register?

• You can register in person, over the phone, or online.
• For online registrations visit: bit.ly/NMMregistrationLAX, or click the registration link above.
• For those wishing to register in person/over the phone:
  • Please visit the City of La Crosse Kiosk at 400 La Crosse Street, or the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center during open hours.
• For those wishing to register over the phone:
  • Please call 608-789-7533

I rent a home with a lawn, am I still allowed to participate?

• Participation is subject to property owner discretion. Please contact your property manager before registering or participating in No Mow May programs. 

Isn’t there an ordinance limiting lawn height? 

• Yes, however enforcement of Municipal Code Sec. 30-4 is paused through the month of May. All landowners are asked to return lawns to compliance by May 31^st.

Who can register?

• Anyone living within the City of La Crosse may register, and will be exempt from the enforcement of Municipal Code Sec. 30-4 from May 1 to May 31, 2024.

Does everyone have to register?

• Registration is not required but encouraged. This allows us a better understanding of program impact and participation. 

• What City properties are participating this year?
  Interested in visiting a park property participating in No Mow May? Highland Park, Leuth Park, and areas of Trane and Myrick Park will be participating in No Mow May this year. 

Why should I not mow or reduce my mowing practices?
The month of May is a formative period for establishments of pollinators, when they emerge from dormancy and require flowering plants as crucial foraging habitat. Did you know there are 4,000 native bee species in the United States? Learn more about bee's here!  These opportunities are dramatically reduced with early spring grass-mowing. As grass is routinely cut, it weakens the root system. By allowing the grass to grow out, it gives the opportunity to develop a greater root system, which improves water retention and drought resiliency.

How do I get my lawn back into compliance after May 31st?

When it comes time to begin cutting your lawn back we suggest doing so gradually by trimming at least twice until it is below 8" in height. Once cut, the longer trimmings will further aid the soil by returning nutrients, promoting healthier, thick grass and lessening the need for fertilizers.

*Tips for if your lawn is getting really long and you are concerned about being able to bring it back into compliance. 

• Not all lawn equipment is intended to handle trimming long grasses, so in this case try reducing the frequency in your mowing practices from every week to every other or every two weeks and alternate mowing your back yard and front yard. 
• When it's time to mow your lawn you want to ensure your mowing blade is sharp. Use a mulching blade if you have one. 
• Create wide paths or islands of unmown grass in your yard so you can walk around and observe the blooming flowers and pollinators at work. 
• Please keep lawn clipping off of sidewalks and roadways. Let the clippings fall between the blades of grass and be reabsorbed as a natural fertilizer or place excess clippings in garden beds as a weed preventative. 

LEARN MORE: Visit our friends at Habitat for Humanity La Crosse to learn more about sustainable lawn care practices year round!

What can you do after No Mow May to support pollinators?

• Plant a pollinator garden with a variety of native flowering trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
• Avoid pesticides or chose non-chemical solutions to insect problems. 
• Consider using organic pesticides.
• Provide a source of pesticide-free water and mud. Small mud puddles and birdbaths attract butterflies and other beneficial insects.
• Review the Parks Department Native Plant Guide for native plant suggestions suitable for our region. (attached) 

Where can grass clippings be placed? 

Grass clippings or yard waste can be utilized in garden beds as a weed preventative and natural  fertilizer. They can also be dropped off at Isle La Plume Yard Waste & Brush Site at 2000 Marco Drive, La Crosse, WI 54601; you must be a resident of the City to use this site.

Site Hours (Seasonal

• Monday & Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: Closed

 When Daylight Saving Time ends, the drop-off site will close weekdays at 6:00 PM.