Midwest Grows Green’s spring involved new pesticide-free parks, continued No Mow May engagement and sustainable landscaping workshops. This spring whip around provides a brief update on each activity.
Chicago Park District limits pesticide use for the 15th consecutive year.
For the 15th year, the Chicago Park District partnered with MGG to offer park visitors safer and healthier parks citywide. Close to 90 percent of Chicago parks avoid spraying weed control chemicals. Read the press release here.
MGG continues its support of No Mow May and pollinator protection efforts.
Last year, MGG coordinated No Mow May Milwaukee communication, events and resources. The Zoological Society of Milwaukee has led efforts in 2024, but we still offer resources and support for No Mow May and pollinator protection. MGG’s Ryan Anderson discussed the importance of No Mow May with the Milwaukee Record this month and how MGG’s Technical Assistance Program can support pollinator protection plans and projects. Interested in more ways to create habitat and forage for pollinators in your backyard? Take the MGG pledge and receive sustainable landscaping tips and updates.
Concerned about artificial turf? MGG’s Technical Assistance Program proves we can maintain natural grass athletic fields.
More than 100 individuals across the country attended Zero Waste Ithaca’s webinar “The True Costs of Artificial Turf: Experts Discuss Cornell University’s New “PFAS-Free” project.” At the end of the webinar, Ryan Anderson shared how the MGG Technical Assistance Program successfully restored a natural grass field at Ray Elementary despite the schoolyard containing high clay and low organic matter.
To learn more and support our schoolyard restoration work, we invite you to donate and/or volunteer to our Ray Elementary Schoolyard Restoration Workday on June 7th, 2024. MGG needs to raise $8,000 by May 31st to host this volunteer workday. All donations at bit.ly/MGGvolunteer will support Ray or our other restoration project at Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy. Also, registration for The Chicago Ultimate Frisbee Tournament fundraiser will raise funds for these schoolyard restorations.
Invasive weed watch! Lesser celandine
MGG and the Wilmette Park District will soon complete the first year of lesser celandine management control at Gillson Park. Unfortunately, we have received reports of lesser celandine’s spread across Wilmette and the Greater Chicago region. Have you seen this yellow-flowered invasive weed? If so, we would appreciate if you can fill out this nine-item survey about your experiences identifying and monitoring this aggressive weed.
If you want to follow more of our work, please take the MGG Pledge at bit.ly/MGGpldg. Interested in a sustainable landscaping consultation? Feel free to contact Ryan Anderson at randerson@ipminstitute.org. Finally, please support our work by making a tax-deductible donation to MGG at bit.ly/MGGgive.
