It’s nearly May and the grass is beginning to turn green — that said, don’t dig out your lawnmower or Weedwacker quite yet.

The Homer City Council passed a resolution last Monday, April 14, supporting efforts by the Homer Area Beekeepers Association to promote “No Mow May” for the protection of pollinators.

“No Mow May” is a global initiative encouraging homeowners, businesses and public entities to mow less in the spring, typically in the month of May — though sometimes beginning in April or continuing into early June, depending on the year — particularly where dandelions or other flowering plants are in full bloom in an effort to support pollinator populations such as bees and other insects.

Sponsored by council members Jason Davis and Shelly Erickson, Resolution 25-028 states that the City of Homer “recognizes the vital role that pollinators, such as bees, play in supporting local ecosystems, agriculture and food security” and “supporting ‘No Mow May’ aligns with the City’s values of community engagement, environmental stewardship, and partnership with local organizations like HABA.”

In the resolution, the city also encourages Homer homeowners and businesses to “voluntarily refrain” from mowing down flowering dandelions, “while recognizing that mowing to remove seed heads is advisable once blooming has ceased.” City staff including employees in the Public Works and Parks Departments are directed to “refrain from mowing dandelion patches on city-managed properties, “except where safety, accessibility, or other operational needs require otherwise.”

Finally, the City of Homer intends to request Kenai Peninsula Borough cooperation in participating in and promoting “No Mow May,” and will promote awareness of the initiative on city communication channels.

An April 14 memorandum from HABA to the council states that Homer has seen a “continuing cooling pattern with increased rainfall and little to no sunshine, which depletes the honeybees’ first feed of the spring: pollen and nectar.”

HABA also notes several options local residents and businesses can take part in in order to support pollinators: forgo mowing in the month of May; “strip” mow your lawn, which leaves a portion of it natural and supplies a habitat in your yard, enabling bees to enjoy their first feed of the season; and incorporate pollinator-friendly plants in your yard or garden to attract pollinators.

“No Mow May” participants are also invited to display posters or signs at their businesses and/or residences to denote that they are taking part in the pollinator-friendly initiative. Door and yard signs, provided by the HABA “No Mow May” committee, are available at Panama Reds Gardening Supply, located at 601 E. Pioneer Avenue #105, as of Wednesday.

Find Resolution 25-028 and supplemental materials in full online at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/citycouncil/city-council-regular-meeting-340.