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Williamsville schedules bioswale workday and declares 'No Mow May' to help pollinators
Summary
Trustees and volunteers plan a bioswale planting on May 3 and the board adopted a discretionary suspension of long-grass enforcement from May 1–June 1 to encourage native plants and pollinators.
Trustees recorded an outreach push for Greenup Williamsville and a volunteer “Bioswales Bonanza” on May 3, and the board adopted a temporary relaxation of lawn-enforcement rules for the month of May.
Deputy Mayor Torrey outlined the village’s Greenup Williamsville activities and said volunteers will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, in front of the mill to weed and plant bioswales along Spring Street. The meeting record lists participants and partners that will contribute volunteers or materials, including Williamsville South High School, local parishioners, Boy Scouts, the village DPW (which will provide compost) and other civic groups. The plan calls for planting about 250 “baby plants,” laying compost and broadcasting crimson clover seed over the planting area. A volunteer named Alexandra will provide a planting tutorial, the transcript states.
At the same meeting trustees adopted a “No Mow May” conservation resolution that relaxes enforcement of Village Code chapter 11-2 (unlawful growth of weeds, grass and poisonous plants) for the period 05/01/2025 through 06/01/2025. The resolution, recorded in the meeting minutes, directs the village to suspend fines for long grass during that period to encourage dandelions, clover and other early-season nectar sources that benefit pollinators.
Deputy Mayor Torrey framed the measure as voluntary and educational: residents were encouraged to reduce the frequency of mowing during May and to avoid pesticides. Torrey referred to outside research during remarks, saying “according to the entomologist at Washington State University, honeybee colonies are projected to decline by 75% this year.” That statement is recorded in the transcript and attributed to Torrey; the meeting record does not include an external citation or follow-up documentation in the minutes.
Why it matters: The volunteer planting and the temporary enforcement suspension are intended to increase native plant cover and nectar sources for early-season pollinators in the village and to involve residents in a visible, community-facing effort.
What’s next: Volunteers will meet May 3 at 10 a.m. at the mill for the bioswale workday; staff will apply the temporary enforcement policy from May 1–June 1. The village encouraged residents to take part and to learn native-plant maintenance at the event.
