Leave the Leaves!
By Christine Hepburn
The Drew Forest, Fall 2022
Virtually all of the leaves are now off the trees and blanketing the ground. This is called “leaf litter” but it isn’t trash, it’s valuable!
It’s well-known that trees (and especially forests) help combat global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it. You may not realize that forests also store carbon in their soil and, yes, in their leaf litter! The more leaves there are on the ground, the more carbon is being stored.
Another reason to be grateful for leaf litter is that it provides food and shelter for a host of creatures, from microscopic ones that break down the leaves and create nutrient-rich soil, to larger ones like toads and salamanders. Leaf litter also shelters pollinators like various bee, butterfly and moth species that survive the winter under the leaves (as eggs, larvae, or adults). These creatures are important parts of the ecosystem and critical for providing birds with the food needed to raise baby birds.
If you go into the Drew Forest now, you’ll see the soft layer of leaves that provides so many benefits, including stormwater control.
If you have a yard, consider organizing, not banishing, your leaves. If you pile them into your garden beds and underneath your trees, it will look tidy enough plus provide moisture, nutrients, protection from weather extremes, and wildlife habitat, for free!
