As a reminder, No Mow April ends on April 30. Beginning May 1, City Code Enforcement Officers will begin issuing violation notices for tall gras and weeds exceeding 12” high. Residents are reminded that they are responsible for maintaining grass in the City right of way to the curb adjacent to their property. Soft yard waste such as grass clippings (if not composted), may be placed in City beige yard waste containers, reusable containers with a City yard waste decal, or paper yard waste bags, and left at the curb on your regular refuse/recycling collection day. For more information, please visit https://collegeparkmd.gov/specialcollections.
The City of College Park encourages its residents to reduce or refrain from mowing their lawns in support of local pollinators during the month of April. Pollinators are necessary for the reproduction of native plants as well as food crops, without them we wouldn’t be here! However, many of our native pollinator species are at risk especially in urban areas, in part because they have lost much of their habitat to development (buildings, roads, and manicured lawns). Participating in No Mow April is a small and easy step we can take to help early-season pollinators that are foraging for food sources and habitat. Many of the non-turfgrass plants that grow within our lawns provide food and habitat for these early-emerging pollinators. By eliminating lawn mowing and avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides in our lawns, we will allow these plants to flower and provide nectar and pollen that help native pollinator populations grow and thrive.
Please send photos of early-season pollinators observed in your yard to nomowapril@collegeparkmd.gov so the Bee City committee can begin documenting the types of pollinators that are active during No Mow April. Questions related to pollinators may also be submitted.
There is no registration needed to participate in No Mow April -- the College Park City Council passed Resolution 22-R-13 to permanently designate April as No Mow Month and waive the tall grass enforcement for College Park residents during April. Signage, denoting participation in No Mow April, is optional, and the City has a limited number of these colorful yard signs available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Residents who want to display support or help spread awareness of No Mow April may pick up a yard sign at Davis Hall, 9217 51st Ave, during business hours. Signs do not need to be returned at the end of the No Mow Month.