Leave the Leaves Alone!

The National Wildlife Foundation stated “You shouldn’t feel obligated to rake up every leaf in your yard this fall. Leave leaves on the ground — they have a lot of benefit to wildlife and your garden.” Stop the back-pain work of raking your leaves this fall, leave the leaves where they are.

What are the benefits?

• Leaves Provide Nutrients for Organisms

     Leaves are a natural part of any ecosystem. “Every resident of the leaf litter—or visitor to it—is connected to the food web in some way,” says Elizabeth Johnson, a program manager at the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation.

• Reduce Waste

     Throwing away leaves is very wasteful. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that in 2011, yard trimmings accounted for 13.5% of solid waste (approximately 33 million tons). Don’t let your leaves be wasted, they have critical benefits to wildlife and your garden.

• Increase Soil Fertility

     Leaving leaves alone and letting them naturally decompose adds nutrients to the soil. Leaves also increase the soil’s water retention.

• Reduce Pollution

     Leaf blowers and the trucks used to haul away leaves pollute. Artificial fertilizers also pollute. However, leaves are natural fertilizers that do not pollute and improve the soil.