The City of Cape Town will not be mowing some areas so they can promote biodiversity and the reproduction of indigenous species.
Cape Town, South Africa (08 August 2022) – Spring is just over a month away, so to make sure the environment and wildlife thrive, the City of Cape Town is implementing a “no mow” period to let indigenous flowers and grasses bloom and go to seed.
The “no mow” movement was started in the United Kingdom during the pandemic and is known as “no mow May”. The movement was thought up by Plantlife UK. They urged people to let the local grasses and weeds grow so that bees and other wildlife could have a good food source after a hard winter.
The city issued a statement to notify residents of this intention and has opened a line of communication for neighbourhoods to reach out and join the movement.
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department will commence its mowing schedule at parks and public open spaces at the end of November 2022, to allow for spring flowers and a variety of indigenous plants to bloom – not just for aesthetic appeal, but also in aid of conservation.
According to the team, the current weather patterns indicate that flowers will start blooming earlier this year, with some already starting to show their colours.
Mowing will be suspended in Public Open Spaces (POS), Parks, Greenbelts, and road verges that have been identified as special portions of land that contain important vegetation.
The aim is to protect ecological processes that promote the growth of distinctive Fynbos vegetation. Some areas also act as conservation corridors, connecting to other open spaces, nature reserves and national parks, ensuring a healthy network of interconnected environments. When flowering, the areas will display fields of colour with a variety of spring flowers which residents can enjoy. Flowers also play an important role in the pollinating process.
‘The opportunity to see the tiny flowers and allowing them to mature and seed undisturbed, comes at the cost of letting grass grow where they are found. What appears to be untidy patches of un-mowed grass at times, is in actual fact a sound environmental management tool that allows the flowers to grow undisturbed, so that they survive for many generations to come. It is beautiful to see annual flowers such as yellow centered, bright-orange and white daises on a sunny day, and we ask our residents to join us on this very important and exciting ecological journey,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.
Once the endemic flowers have produced adequate seeds towards the end of the ‘no mow’ period, routine mowing maintenance schedules can resume. Those wanting to participate can reach out using the details below. There is a list available of areas that will not be mowed here.
Residents can apply for their community park or portions of green spaces in their area to be added to the list.
Email RP.Enquiries@capetown.gov.za with the location, some evidence of the flowers and support from neighbours living in close proximity to the area.