Summer native mowing, Need Help! Cancel The title field is required!

1. Jason Pierce

   

   0 posts
   
   7/3/2014 12:07 PM

   I'm getting some flack over cutting my natives from a local Butterfly Larva counter. He will not take my or the County's environmentalist word for the benefits of this mowing practice. I suggested his view of protecting Butterflies was much too narrow and if I focused on just them I would be doing a disservice to the much greater and numerous environmental concerns the course has. I'm trying not to use a blanket spray for weeds and use mowing and thick dense grasses to improve Habitat and stabilization. What about Stream bank stabilization and a possible negative impact on the water ways and all they encompass? I asked, he didn't respond. Can anyone direct me to some printed material I could give him and try to appease? I don't think every property's primary focus can be Butterflies. Please help!
   JP

   
   
   
   
2. Dustin Riley

   

   8 posts
   
   7/3/2014 2:07 PM

   Jason,
   
   Are these butterflies endangered or threatened?
   
   After you collect your info, maybe find out more about what his goal is. Whats the calendar time frame for counting butterfly larva? If its short enough, maybe you can schedule around it. It might be that simple and you'll look like hero for providing native areas for wildlife, soil stabilization, runoff filter, etc.

   
   
   
   
3. Scot Haynes

   

   0 posts
   
   7/6/2014 10:07 AM

   My suggestion is mow your native twice a year, once in early spring (before the butterflies are active) and once in late fall (when the butterflies are long gone). Your native will do well under this simple mowing regime, problem solved.