Going green by letting the green grow

Residents in one Delaware city will see fewer lawnmowers and a more natural setting on city owned land this summer.

As part of an effort to save money and reduce it’s impact on the environment, the city of Newark, Delaware is launching an expansion of it’s meadow program to allow more grass to grow wild.

Newark’s un-mowed meadows will grow from 2.14 acres to more than 13 acres.  The new meadow areas include parts of 20 parks and open spaces.  The change will allow maintenance workers to focus on more important building and grounds projects, including construction of the Pomeroy and Newark Rail Trail.  It will also reduce the city’s carbon dioxide emissions from mowers and offer a more natural habitat for wildlife.

Meadow areas that border residential property will be have a five to six buffer area that will still be mowed throughout the typical mowing season, which usually lasts from late March to early November.  Newark homeowners who are affected were notified of the change in January.  Newark City Council signed off on the change in December.