ROYAL OAK, Mich. – This week the city of Royal Oak decided to jump on board a movement called No Mow May.
People are encouraged not to mow their lawns all May to help bees and other pollinators better transition into spring and summer.
Nine Royal Oak Middle School students call themselves the Bee Tweens.
The group started out as a book club and was inspired to take up a cause of their own.
They chose bees and, with their sponsor, Royal Oak Environment Advisory Board, made Royal Oak an official Bee City.
Monday (May 10), the Bee Tweens went before the city commission and proposed No Mow May.
The goal is for residents to let their grass and weeds like dandelions grow all month as an early food source for bees and, in return, help them pollinate our food source.
City commissioners took No Mow May up for discussion and approved it. Mayor Pro Tem Melanie Macey said their support meant the city wouldn’t send out letters in May for lawns that comply with its ordinance.
“This is just a trial to do this because there’s not enough time to change the ordinance at this moment. But this is just it’s a policy, really in terms of how we enforce the rule. And so, not issuing letters in the month of May is something we can try out this year and see how it goes,” said Macey.
Lawn signs about the initiative aren’t mandatory and are $5 at city hall.
For more on No Mow May in Royal Oak, click here.
Ann Arbor and Dexter Township are also participating in No Mow May.