The Saratoga National Historical Park, on Route 32 and 4 in Stillwater, announced plans last week to reduce mowing at the park’s three units: the Battlefield in Stillwater, the Schuyler House in Schuylerville and Saratoga Monument in the village of Victory.

“Visitors to the park will still enjoy a beautifully managed landscape, and areas commonly walked will be mowed to prevent tick exposure, but reduced mowing in areas not regularly used will reduce fuel costs and help us care for these historic lands in a more environmentally-friendly manner,” Superintendent Joe Finan said in a press release.

The plan will reduce the total mowing operation by about 5 acres weekly.

Saratoga Spa State park is also reducing mowing this year. About 12 acres in the park, including areas near the East-West Road and the winter skating area near Route 9 will be allowed to grow up into meadows, and mowed just once a year. Park manager Michael Greenslade said parks across the state are trying sustainable initiatives in the face of dramatically rising gas and energy costs.

With gasoline over $4 a gallon, you might also be thinking of ways to save on mowing. An earlier Greenpoint posting talked about an alternative to gas-powered lawn mowers — the old-fashioned push reel mower. Or you can choose not to mow at all, and let your lawn grow wild. Mark Wilson wrote about the pros and cons of turning you lawn into a wildflower meadow in a Sunday Opinion piece you can read here.

If you’re not ready for wilderness, or not in the market for a goat, you might opt to simply mow less often. Maybe once every 10 days or two weeks would be enough, instead of every week.

You can also reduce mowing by devoting less of your yard space to lawn, growing flowers and ground covers instead. You can add rocks or plant trees for “islands” in the lawn, or simply allow the natural edges of your lawn to creep in a few feet. You can practice “conservation landscaping,” planting areas to native plants that need little care, and making your yard more attractive to butterflies, birds and other wildlife.

For more ideas on how to shrink your lawn, click here. To read about conservation landscaping, click here.

Are you changing your yard habits? Mowing less? Planting differently? Share your ideas with Greenpoint readers by posting comments below, or emailing greenpoint@dailygazette.net.