With May now in full swing, many people will be looking to spruce up their gardens in preparation for the summer months. But those who are thinking of cutting their grass have now been urged to hold off doing so by David Attenborough.
In his latest BBC documentary Wild Isles, the 96-year-old naturalist and broadcaster meets inspiring people across the UK, both young and old, who are trying to fight against the decline in nature while examining the wildlife and habitat at risk.
One of the messages in the series that came from Sir David was to 'delay mowing' your lawn this month for the sake of the environment, as he advises people to wait until mid July.
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This is because insects and wildflowers use lawns to breed, pollinate and maintain a healthy ecosystem at this time of year.
Shredding the grass down interferes with the process killing off lots of insects that are an essential - and increasingly threatened - part of our ecosystem. If those insects die off, we all die off eventually, reports Yorkshire Live.
Sir David Attenborough said on BBC's Wild Isles nature documentary about the UK: "Nowhere here is richer in wildflowers and insect pollinators than our traditional hay meadows. Sadly, in the last 60 years, we've lost 97% of this precious habitat.
"But with nature friendly farming, meadows can be restored to provide a haven for wildlife. It's all about the timing. Delaying mowing until mid July allows birds and insects to complete their breeding and flowers to set their seed."
Sir David's call has been backed by wildlife experts as part of the No Mow May campaign.
No Mow May is an annual campaign across the UK which calls on all garden owners and green space managers not to mow their lawns or grass at all during May in a bid to give mother nature a much needed boost.
Plantlife, which supports the campaign, says: "A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can even lock away carbon below ground – and best of all, to reap these benefits all you have to do is not mow your lawn in May.
"With over 20 million gardens in the UK, even the smallest grassy patches add up to a significant proportion of our land which, if managed properly, can deliver enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate.
"This is why Plantlife is calling for people to get involved with #NoMowMay and let wild plants get a head start on the summer."
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