On Aug. 4, a city compliance officer came to my house. In the name of city zoning ordinance 21A.48.040, I was told the sunflowers in my front yard were too tall, and they needed to be trimmed to a maximum height of four feet. If you have ever seen a sunflower you are well aware of how they get their name, climbing high and striving towards the sun.
August is a hard time of year to live in Salt Lake City. Water becomes scarce, and our yards fade away to the yellows and browns they will maintain until next spring. Late summer isn’t just hard for humans. Pollinator species rely on wildflowers to survive during the warm months of the year. As vegetation fades away, the common sunflower reigns supreme as a safe haven and food source to bees, butterflies, moths, birds and bats. These creatures are pollinators, a necessary part of our ecosystem and as such are essential for the success of vegetation. Walk by any stand of sunflowers in the city and you will hear the joyful, busy chorus of bees humming happily as they work, preparing for the hard winter months ahead when their hives will grow dormant with the cold.
I understand keeping our homes clean and our sidewalks accessible. But as our planet heats up, it is more important than ever to protect our ecosystems. I believe native forbs (flowering, non woody, annual plants) should be extended protections by our local government. As progressive a city as we have become, we need to stand united against the removal of our flowers, for the protection of our pollinators, for both the good of our environment and the beauty they give us freely. Please join me in standing up for sunflowers, or it could be your flowers the city compliance officers come for next.
Jess Oveson, Salt Lake City