Overview

• The 'Mähfreier Mai' initiative, inspired by the UK’s 'No Mow May,' encourages leaving lawns unmown in May to allow wildflowers to bloom and provide food for insects like bees and hummingbirds.
• As of late April 2025, conservation groups such as Nabu and LBV, along with municipalities like Landkreis Wunsiedel, are actively promoting the campaign with public signage and guidelines.
• Germany’s 17 million private gardens, covering approximately 2% of the country’s land, are seen as vital stepping-stone habitats for biodiversity in urban and suburban areas.
• Participants are advised to extend mowing intervals, mow in sections to leave refuges for wildlife, avoid pesticides, and use manual tools like scythes for better ecological impact.
• Public green spaces, including municipal strips and areas around buildings, are also being left unmown in May, with local governments highlighting cost savings and ecological benefits.