The grass may look a little longer at certain locations and not as manicured as in years past, but this is a good thing!

The Parks and Recreation Division has initiated a “Grow Not Mow” plan at certain state parks, recreation areas and boating access sites. Goals of this initiative include fuel and staff cost savings, pollution prevention, nuisance goose reduction, and habitat enhancement. There is an overall target of 10- to 20-percent reduction in staff time spent mowing allowing them to focus on other needed tasks.

The results should be a restoration of natural settings reflective of the Michigan landscape that individual parks can help to enhance and preserve. Allowing a vegetative buffer to develop at boat access sites can stabilize the shoreline in a natural way, which results in less erosion and sedimentation of our lakes, rivers and streams. Less mowing also means less petroleum use and associated costs and reduced emissions of excess carbon and exhaust into the atmosphere.

Finally, ever wonder why there are so many Canadian geese in open mowed areas? It’s because they find the freshly mowed turf to be a great grazing area. By allowing a more natural habitat for many of Mother Nature’s other critters, this initiative will also reduce a few of the associated problems with too many geese and their droppings.