Lawns for Health and Wellness: to Mow or Not to Mow

What if the perfect lawn is not a sign of order, but an ecological mistake?
To Mow or Not to Mow: Lawns for Health and Wellness challenges one of the most deeply rooted habits of modern urban life: the constant shaving of grass into sterile “green concrete”. Drawing on ecology, urban climatology, soil science, public health, psychology, and smart-city technologies, physician and PhD in Medical Sciences Sergei Shevtsov explores why over-mowing harms biodiversity, overheats cities, wastes water, degrades soil, and deprives people of the health benefits of living vegetation.
This book explains how tall grasses, clover, meadow plants, leaf litter, and mosaic mowing can transform yards, parks, and urban spaces into cooler, cleaner, healthier environments. It also examines the myths surrounding ticks, weeds, safety, and “neatness,” offering a practical alternative: smart zoning, biodiversity islands, apothecary gardens, foodscaping, citizen science, and intelligent landscape maintenance.
Written for homeowners, gardeners, city officials, landscape professionals, environmental activists, and anyone interested in healthier cities, this book is both a scientific argument and a practical manifesto for rethinking the lawn.
It is time to stop waging war on the landscape — and start cooperating with it.