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'No Mow May' to help early pollination

Folks at Lehman Sanctuary have a worldwide reason why you should skip this weekly chore this month.

LEHMAN, Pa. — If you're looking for an excuse to not cut your grass when the weather breaks, how's this one from Lehman Sanctuary founder Christopher Miller: "Because it's so important to the food we have and the species we have on our planet."

'Let It Grow' is the motto for spring at the Lehman Sanctuary in Lehman Township, especially where clover and dandelion-sprinkled lawns are concerned.

"It's really important for us to save pollinators. Bumble bees, honey hummingbird moths, even as John Ackourey says, you know the hornet because all of these insects protect us, pollinate flowers, and keep more than half the food that we eat on our tables without pollination. We'd have no food anywhere in the world," said Miller.

He encourages folks to participate in the 'No Mow May' initiative, even if you might find what some would consider 'weeds' unsightly.

"So these insects need places to go. Without dandelions, without clover, they have no place to go for food, and so it's, it's really important that we try to keep at the very least stations, areas of lawn untended to unfertilized you know, let it grow wild for a while," suggested Miller.

As Miller showed Newswatch 16 the educational rain garden at the sanctuary, he explained how all the rain the last couple of weeks has given this initiative a kick start.

"Absolutely, all that water helps all of the flowers that we plant wherever we plant them. It's really important stuff. I mean, we're making good use of what nature gives us or what nature throws at us," said Miller.

So cross-cutting the grass off your to-do list this weekend, Miller says the planet will thank you.

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