Scythe mowing can aid biodiversity when used correctly

Scythe mowing can benefit biodiversity, but only if the tool is used at the right time and in the right way, SRF reports. A course in Salenstein, in the canton of Thurgau, teaches participants the traditional technique and its potential benefits for plants and animals.

Nine people gathered in a meadow with scythes in their hands as course leader Jürg von Känel demonstrated the method. The course, organised by the Arenenberg Agricultural Centre, attracted participants who wanted to learn an old craft or practise nature-friendly gardening.

One participant from Toggenburg said she wanted to protect insects and mow her meadow with a scythe. Many of the participants were interested in whether the technique could support biodiversity.

Unlike many motorised tools, such as string trimmers, a scythe works slowly and quietly. This gives animals more time to escape. The cut material is also not shredded and spread over the meadow as mulch. According to von Känel, flowers and herbs in particular do not tolerate such mulch. Buried under a thick layer of cut vegetation, many species can be suppressed or disappear completely.

However, the scythe alone does not create a biodiversity-friendly meadow. Von Känel said the timing and method of mowing were crucial. People seeking to promote species diversity should not mow the entire area at once. Patches of old grass should be left standing over winter to provide insects with shelter, and the final cut should be made as late in autumn as possible.

Von Känel has been running scythe courses for about 13 years. The traditional craft became more popular during the coronavirus pandemic, and he now leads around 15 courses each summer. In his workshop, he also makes scythes tailored to a person’s height and whether they are right- or left-handed.

Learning the technique takes patience. Participants must repeat many movements until they become automatic and produce a clean cut. For some, scything is more than gardening; it is also a way to slow down.

Before a scythe can be used, its blade must be sharpened through a process known as peening. With precise hammer blows, the blade’s edge is compressed and honed to a very fine point. Von Känel compared a blade before peening to a splitting maul and afterwards to a razor blade.

In the end, he said, biodiversity depends less on the scythe itself than on the people who use it, observe the meadow and take responsibility for its care.