Pollinator-Aware Yard Care

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Protecting biodiversity through native plantings, reduced mowing,​ and more​​.

Register, Request a Yard Sign, and Subscribe

Want to register your yard as a participant in the Pollinator-Aware Yard Care program and request a yard sign? Interested in updates about the program, opportunities to get discounts on native plants, and information on how to protect pollinators? Or want to sign up for OSI's monthly newsletter? Use these buttons to get involved!

Register as a Participant & Request a Yard Sign Subscribe to Email Updates About PAYC Sign Up to Receive OSI's Monthly Newsletter

Gas Leaf Blower Phase-Out: ​In December 2023, Ann Arbor City Council passed new restrictions on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers within Ann Arbor city limits. Currently, the use of gas-powered leaf blowers is prohibited in Ann Arbor from June 1st to September 30th. Beginning January 1st, 2028, the use of gas-powered leaf blowers will be prohibited year-round in Ann Arbor. The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the peace, health, safety, and welfare of persons in Ann Arbor as well as to promote the City's sustainability goals.

A great alter​native to gas leaf blowing is to skip leaf blowing all together! Leaving whole or mulched leaves on your lawn provides a much-needed habitat for pollinator species. If you also use your leaf blower to remove mowed grass from the sidewalk, you can reduce the area of mowed turfgrass on your lawn by planting native groundcover in place of turfgrass or by extending the area of your garden beds.

If you are interested in learning more about the leaf blower ordinance, alternatives to gas leaf blower​s, and how to sustainably dispose of gas leaf blowers, check out our gas leaf blower phase-out webpage.​​

Welcome

​​Around 75 percent of all plants rely on pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and beetles to spread their pollen. ​Pollinators are a key part of a healthy ecosystem. Without them, we wouldn't have plants to prevent soil erosion, remove carbon from the air, ​and provide homes for wildlife.  But, native pollinators are struggling. Threats to pollinators include pesticides that kill them, herbicides that kill their food, habitat loss, disease, and climate change. 

In April 2023, Ann Arbor ​​​City Council approved Resolution R-23-111 - Resolution to Support Pollinator Habitat in Ann Arbor, which encourages property owners to adopt lawn care strategies that will help support survival of pollinators. This resolution led to the development of the Pollinator-Aware Yard Care program, which provides resources for property owners to implement yard care practices that promote native pollinators. This work is supported by City staff and by volunteer members of the Ann Arbor Environmental Commission.

Want a summary of Pollinator Aware Yard Care? Check out Episode 4​ of Green Light to learn​ all about the program!​​

Why ​Us​​e Pollinator-Aware Yard Care Practices?​

There are man​y benefits to following pollinator-aware yard care practices and planting native plant species. Some of these benefits are listed below:

  • Pollinators help to put food on the table. They fertilize flowers that develop into food for both people and animals.   

  • 30% of all Michigan crops and 90% of Michigan wild plants rely on pollinators (Michigan Department of Transportation​). Worldwide, 35% of crops are reliant on pollinator activity (Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). 

  • The USDA estimates that crops dependent on pollination are worth >$18B/year.  

  • Native plan​t species help to increase stormwater infiltration to improve water quality and avoid flooding, as compared to turfgrass.  

  • Native plan​​​​t species don't rely on lawn mowers for maintenance, meaning you'll cut down on​ the noise pollution and soil compaction caused by lawn mowers, as well as the carbon emissions of fossil fuel-based lawn mowers.

  • Supporting a wide variety of pollinators and native plants increases biodiversity​, which is essential to healthy ecosystems and the services they provide.

​How​ to be Pollinator-Aw​are in Your Yard

​​There a​re ​m​any pollinator-aware yard care practices that you can follow in order to participate in this program. Below are a few recommendations on yard care practices to help you get started with protecting pollinators in your yard:

​Choosing Native Plants

Lists of native plant species can be found on NAP’s Native Plants page - we recommend checking out the Native Perennials and Native Grasses, Rushes, and Sedges lists in particular when planting to support pollinators. See “Additional Resources” below for examples of local retail sources of native plants.  

When planting​ native species, please keep in mind the need for species that are height-appropriate in our urban environment, specifically in lawn extensions and right-of-way areas. All of your plantings should adhere to Ann Arbor City Code, Chapter 40, Sections 3:15 (Lawn extension and city right-of-way) and 3:16 (Vegetation on private property). Please select shorter plants for your lawn extension, as tall plants can create safety hazards for pedestrians and bicyclists. Please grow tall species of plants on your private property (between the house and the sidewalk), in cultivated beds, or as part of a planned natural landscape, rather than in the lawn extension.

Examples of plants that may become too tall for lawn extensions include:
Sunflowers, Goldenrod (some species), Purple Coneflower, Joe-Pye Weed, Culver’s Root, Cup Plant, Big Bluestem, Cosmos, tomato plants, and some ornamental grasses​.

An example PAYC yard sign.

Get Involved

Interested in participating in the Pollinator-Aware Yard Care movement? Click here to register your home address as a program participant, sign​ up for email updates, and/or request a yard sign to let everyone know that you’re a pollinator-aware home! Please note that yard signs may not be placed on the lawn extension, per Chapter 55, Section 5.24.3(H). For guidelines on sign placement, please view our Guide to Temporary Signs in the City of Ann Arbor.

Are you a renter who is interested in seeing more sustainable landscaping practices used on your property or in your rental community? Download this template email that can be sent to your landlord or property manager to encourage them to adopt PAYC practices - you can customize this email to your specific concerns, with example language provided for a few of the main concerns you may have!

Want to learn how to identify different species of plants, insects, birds, etc. - while also contributing your observations to a database that can be used for scientific research​? Check out citizen science​ phone apps such as PlantNet and iNaturalist​. ​

How is An​n Arbor Supporting Pollinators and Native Plants?

  • Trees, shrubs and flowering perennials in our City's natural areas and parks are host to many pollinator species. To learn more about Ann Arbor’s parks and natural​ areas, you can refer to the A-Z Lis​t​ or use the Park Finder​.​​

  • Natural Area Preservation (NAP) does not use neonicotinoids to maintain City natural areas. ​

  • NAP is working to remove invasive species in natural areas and parks to allow for native plants to flourish. NAP relies on volunteers (groups a​nd individuals) to complete a significant amount of the work.

  • NAP does annual surveys for breeding birds, frogs & toads, salamanders, turtles, and butterflies.​

  • Learn more about sustainability initiatives in our Parks system here​.

  • The Elizabeth Dean Trust Fund plants trees in Ann Arbor’s public areas (which includes parks and nature areas).​​

  • Mayor Taylor has signed on to the National Wildlife Federation's Mayors' Monarch Pledge and is taking action to protect monarch butterflies.​

  • Ann Arbor ​and Washtenaw County are both certified as National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitats.

OSI staff and volunteers help maintain Bandemer Park through the GIVE365 Adopt-A-Park program.

​​Additional Resources

Contact Info

Sean Reynolds

Senior Analyst​, Office of Sustainability & Innovations

Email Sean