By Lee Reinsch
Correspondent
DE PERE – If you’ve not mown your lawn yet this spring, or if you have but don’t feel like repeating the process anytime soon, now you’ve got a good excuse to relax.
It’s called No Mow May, and it’s just like it sounds: It’s May. Don’t mow.
Residents of municipalities that adopted the program are encouraged to not mow their lawns until June.
De Pere, Kaukauna, Appleton, Fox Crossing and Oshkosh are among the cities in the region participating.
The program aims to increase the diversity of wildflowers, native plants, and bumblebees by providing foraging resources for pollinators.
De Pere’s Common Council made No Mow May official at its meeting last month, enacting Resolution No. 21-39, which suspends the part of the municipal code relating to keeping grass and noxious weeds no taller than 12 inches.
Residents are encouraged to not mow their lawns or use herbicides during May so plants that bees like, such as white clover, violets, Canada thistle, creeping charlie, and dandelions, can help fuel the bees and other pollinators.
No Mow May signs to let neighbors and the city know you’re participating can be obtained free at the city’s municipal services center, 925 S. Sixth St.
Tree services signed
The council gave the OK for the city to sign on with two local tree services for limited general forestry services.
The two companies, Monster Tree Services of Northeast Wisconsin, and Selner Tree & Shrub Care of De Pere have agreed to respond quickly to the city’s emergency tree needs and to provide work on an as-needed basis for the city.
Selner agreed to a price range of $85-$120 per crew member per hour, based on the equipment needed and the urgency of the job.
Monster Tree Services agreed to a fee of $180 per hour for a crew of two people and $260 for a crew of three, with a minimum charge of $300.
Marty Kosobucki, director of De Pere’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry was asked why the city was signing two companies.
“It depends on availability,” he said. “This is just for emergency purposes, and if we call a company, it’s very possible they may not have the resources to address it in the time we need it.”
The need for extra tree service help arose with the loss of a member of the City of De Pere forestry department.
Jerry Hasenberg, Jr., died in April from injuries he received in an accident while on the job on De Pere’s east side.
Kosobucki said the loss greatly compromised his department, and it needs the extra help getting up to speed until it can find someone to fill Hasenberg’s role.