Second Round of the Lawn to Meadow Program Announced!

Written by Andrea Grossman. Edited by Miri Becker.

We have great news! We are announcing the second round of the Lawn to Meadow Program. Similar to the previous round, we are asking for interested parties to apply. We will select the most suitable sites for the success of the program.

Last year, the District received a Healthy Soils Challenge Grant from the Massachusetts Division of Energy and Environmental Affairs. This grant provided the District funding for a pilot project to help transition lawns into naturalized meadowlands. We have already transitioned six different plots in Middlesex County into meadows. Updates on the program can be found here: https://test.slewis.org/pilot-projects/

We are continuing to monitor and support the first six plots, and we are excited to be able to expand our program even further. Once we have selected from our amazing pool of applicants, we will get in contact with them to schedule site visits. This second round of the project will hopefully begin this winter with ground preparation and an initial seeding of the area. Plots can be any shape, and approximately 100 square feet in size.

We are asking that anyone who is interested to join a training on Zoom that will outline the goals of the program, what can be expected from the Middlesex Conservation District, and what will be expected from participants over the course the project. Please register here.

So why transition part of your lawn into a native meadow? Having a native meadowland instead of turf will have numerous benefits to both you and our ecosystem. This is a win-win scenario. Meadowlands require less mowing, fuel, fertilizer, and water usage which leads to less money spent on your yard. This also helps our native pollinators and wildlife. Native plants provide necessary nectar and pollen for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, moths, and other pollinators, so you’ll have more to see in your own yard!

We will help you with the design, materials, and implementation of this project. If you are interested, please fill out our application form. We will review all applications and contact those who meet our criteria. This is the criteria we are looking for:
– Geographic spread throughout Middlesex County
– Suitable site conditions
– Visibility of the site to educate and engage the community
– Enthusiasm & willingness to work with us

We will then schedule a time to go out to your property, make notes on your yard, and work with you to see which area will be best suited for a meadow!

Note: our project area is limited to Middlesex County only.

We expect to begin the second round this fall or winter. This pilot project is a multi-step process and will take more than one year to complete.

If you have trouble filling out the form or have any questions, please contact Andrea Grossman, the District Administrator, at admin@middlesexconservationdistrict.org, or Miri Becker, Supervisor, at miryam.becker@gmail.com.

MCD hopes to continue this project for years to come. We look
forward to hearing from you.