Leave the Leaves

The following article is reposted from the National Wildlife Federation:

Fall has arrived and October is Leave the Leaves Month!

As leaves change color and fall to the ground, you can create habitat right where you live! Did you know that leaving the leaves in your yard or garden not only saves you time and energy but also benefits wildlife?

Here are a few good reasons to put down the rake:

🍁 Provide habitat for wildlife: Frogs, turtles, and salamanders rely on fallen leaves to provide cover and hibernation places; many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.

🍂 Provide food for wildlife: Creatures like earthworms and millipedes reside in and decompose leaf litter, and also are themselves a source of food for bigger wildlife like birds and toads. 

🍃 Increase fertility of your soil: Decomposing leaves add nutrients to your soil and also allow for greater water retention. 

CERTIFY YOUR YARD AS A WILDLIFE HABITAT

Join this committed community of people making a difference for wildlife one garden at a time. Tell the National Wildlife Federation how your yard or garden provides habitat, and they will recognize it as a Certified Wildlife Habitat®. Once certified, you can share your accomplishment and commitment to helping wildlife with your whole neighborhood by purchasing and posting an exclusive Certified Wildlife Habitat® sign. The $20 application processing fee* and sign purchase will directly support the National Wildlife Federation's programs to protect wildlife and its habitat. 

Learn more & certify your yard today!

*The NWF is offering a one-time 50th anniversary 10% savings on certification & yard sign fees now through October 31, 2023. Enter code FALL10.

The National Wildlife Federation, America's largest and most trusted conservation organization, works across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life in giving wildlife a voice. They've been on the front lines for wildlife since 1936, fighting for the conservation values that are woven into the fabric of our nation's collective heritage. 

More yard cleanup tips: 

• Pro Tips for Leaving the Leaves
• Five Simple Ways to Create Habitat This Fall
• Why You Should Leave the Leaves 
• What to Do With Fallen Leaves

Video Source: 5 Tips on Leaving the Fall Leaves, by naturalist David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation.