Due to the dry winter, the virtually rainless month of March, and one of the driest Aprils in the past 125 years, the city administration of Debrecen announced that it will temporarily suspend mowing public grass areas during May.
The aim of the decision is to protect grass-forming plants from drying out, preserve biodiversity, and support bees and other pollinators. The measure also marks the city’s participation in the “No Mow May” movement.
According to the statement, despite snowfall in January, total winter precipitation nationwide amounted to only 96–97 millimeters, about 84 percent of the usual amount, making the season officially dry. March was also practically rainless, with only minimal precipitation arriving at the very end of the month, followed by one of the driest Aprils in the last 125 years.
In Debrecen, scheduled mowing of public green spaces began in early April, following the practice of previous years. Contractors maintained grass areas in housing estate parks, suburban parks, and roadside green strips. During the vegetation period, around 3 million square meters of grass are usually mowed monthly, while tourist areas and irrigated surfaces are cut weekly or biweekly, covering a total of around 5 million square meters. By the end of April, the first mowing cycle had been completed.
However, because of the drought conditions, mowing in May will now be suspended to protect grasslands, biodiversity, bees, and other pollinators. Exceptions will include lawns rich in turf grasses and equipped with automatic irrigation systems, where daily watering prevents the risk of drying caused indirectly by mowing.
The city leadership added that, due to the lack of rainfall, lawns are already showing weaker growth than usual. Suspending mowing will also help avoid dust pollution caused by cutting sparse grass and dry, patchy lawn areas.
Allowing vegetation to grow longer helps cool the local microclimate through evaporation. Taller grass blades shade the soil, slowing moisture loss and strengthening root systems. A denser, more natural lawn will also better withstand summer heatwaves.
Unmown grasslands are also able to mature and spread seeds during this period, enriching soil seed reserves. As a result, denser and more diverse grass coverage is expected later, making urban green spaces greener overall.
May is considered a critical period for wildflowers and pollinators, so avoiding mowing significantly supports the urban ecosystem. Early bees and butterflies have limited food alternatives at this time, making it especially beneficial to leave diverse flowering areas unmown — including patches with dandelions, clover, and daisies.
The Origins of “No Mow May”
Although this year one of the movement’s most influential advocates in Hungary is László Gajdos, the future minister responsible for the living environment in the soon-to-be-formed Tisza government, the initiative itself is not new.
“No Mow May” began in United Kingdom in 2019, organized by the botanical conservation charity Plantlife. Since habitat loss is one of the reasons for the decline of wild pollinators, avoiding mowing for one month allows flowers to bloom and provide food for pollinating insects. The initiative was highly successful in its first year, with participants even reporting the appearance of protected plant species.
Since then, several countries — including the United States, Germany, and Netherlands — have joined the movement. Participation continues to grow every year among associations, companies, and municipalities alike.
In Hungary, the first “No Mow May” campaign was organized in 2022 by the “Virágjárók, méhlegelők” (“Flower Walkers, Bee Pastures”) group, attracting hundreds of participants and growing increasingly popular each year.
