Low Mow Policy

By allowing native plants to grow and reach maturity, flowers bloom and attract pollinators. Pollinators thrive off of these native plants and then in turn support local farmers and gardeners. Native bees and other beneficial insects feed off of these flowers and find shelter in the tall plant life. Monarch butterflies have been impacted by heavy mowing of natural areas as they rely on milkweed plants to lay their eggs and feed their larvae. Leaving natural areas to grow with minimal human intervention allows these and other animals to thrive in our community.

Strong native plant communities also help prevent erosion. Unlike turf or mown fields, mature native plants grow deep roots that hang onto soil even during heavy rainfall events.  Locations with a high density of mature native plants, those who have not been cut down by mowing, also retain water and help the ecosystem weather drought and high fire risk times. The constant disturbance of mowing inhibits the growth of native plants by encouraging non-native weeds to grow. These weeds are detrimental to the natural habitat and landscape of our public parks and open spaces.

These native plants also support the health of our stormwater system. Allowing plants to grow without regular mowing promotes deeper root structure. Their roots help filter out pollutants and nutrients from stormwater run-off. Longer native grass also reduces erosion and allow water to seep into the soil. This recharges the groundwater and allows the water to slowly seep into the soil rather than flow quickly over the land, leaving soil dry.

Many staff hours and significant air emissions have gone into mowing in Westminster over the years. The EPA estimates that over five percent of total air pollution in urban areas comes from lawn mowers. Reducing the number of staff working on mowing operations on any given day during the summer frees up staff up to tackle additional projects in our parks and open space systems such as integrated pest management to reduce noxious weeds, trash collection, and more. Reducing the use of lawn mowers will also make our air cleaner and provide a healthier community for our families. Additionally, the constant running of lawn mowers and similar equipment contributes to noise pollution in our neighborhoods that will be significantly reduced under this new policy.

As mentioned above, mowing often promotes the growth of non-native plants. The City is required by law to eradicate certain noxious weeds within our public lands. While there are many ways to do so, chemical application is one that has proven effective but would be less necessary with a low mow policy. By limited mowing, the City also reduces the need for chemical herbicide application throughout our public lands. 

“Under normal fuel and wind conditions, Westminster Open Space and Westminster Fire Department are well positioned to contain and respond to wildland fires within the city. The threat of fire in the open spaces is largely mitigated by numerous natural and constructed fuel breaks as well as ongoing fuels management efforts. Easy access, robust water supply, and a well trained and equipped fire department support an effective response to wildland fire in our open space.”

-from the 2022 Open Space Fire Risk Assessment (p 42)