The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received September 29, 2025.
I’m sure we all enjoy the beautifully colored leaves in the Fall. But how many of us enjoy raking them when they cover our yards?
Well, guess what? How about if I told you some very smart environmentalists have come to our rescue? They have given us some very good reasons to leave the leaves covering our yards. They came up with a project called “Leave The Leaves!” Here are some of their ideas that I hope you will try.
If possible, leave the leaves where they fall on your lawn, especially in areas where you don’t need to walk or mow frequently. This will provide habitat for many insects, butterflies, moths, various arthropods, and 70% of queen bees, which rely on leaf litter for protection during the winter months. If you choose to remove the leaves in the spring, wait until late spring to do so, allowing pollinators and other wildlife to emerge from their winter shelter.
Leave the leaves as a food source for wildlife. Some insects feed on the decaying leaves, and others, like birds, rely on the insects that live in the leaf litter for food.
Instead of bagging or removing leaves, rake them into your garden beds, around tree bases, or into other designated areas and leave them there throughout the winter. As the leaves decompose, they will release nutrients back into your soil, acting as a natural fertilizer and improving the soil health for your garden and your trees.
Avoid shredding leaves. Let the bugs do that for you! Shredded leaves will not provide the same cover as leaving them whole, and you may be destroying eggs, caterpillars, and cocoons along with the leaves. Instead of a mower, use a rake or blower to keep leaves intact.
If you have a lot of leaves, you can compost them or use them as mulch in other areas of your yard. Spread them around perennial plants that can use the extra insulation through the winter.
So let your friends, neighbors, and your social media circle know that they can also just “Leave The Leaves!” Your yard is playing an important role in the ecosystem all year round, and it’s easy to find a compromise between a functional space for you and one that provides for wildlife. By simply doing fewer chores in the fall (wouldn’t that be nice!), your garden will reap the rewards of abundant pollination, natural pest control, and food for visiting birds and wildlife next spring.
Guy Vecchitto, Killingworth
The author is a member of the Killingworth Conservation Commission
