As autumn leaves blanket lawns across the state, you might have already started your fall cleanup.
However, experts with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources say skipping the chore can actually be beneficial for the environment.
“As you wrap up the garden year and pack away hammocks and outdoor furniture, try not to be too orderly – nature likes a bit of mess,” the DNR officials said in an article posted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
What are the environmental benefits of leaving the leaves?
They are asking residents to consider leaving leaves in their yards or to rake them into garden beds.
The leaves provide nutrients to the soil and can help control erosion, according to the DNR.
Additionally, it provides a habitat for native bees, butterflies, moths, spiders, and other insects to reside until spring.
The DNR explains that many of these small insects support other species of wildlife, “all the way up to the ‘top of the food chain’ species.”
A couple of inches of leaves provide insects with protection from the winter weather conditions and predators.
Luna moths and swallowtail butterflies use dried leaves to disguise their cocoons. Bumblebees also burrow underground to hibernate.
The queen bumblebee hibernates just an inch or two below the ground, and must choose a spot that won’t be warmed by the winter sun, since early warmth could trick her into waking up too soon.
A layer of leaves helps protect the queen bumblebee from the elements.
The Xerces Society, a nonprofit that focuses on protecting invertebrates and their habitats, provides more resources on how to effectively create these habitats by leaving the leaves.
Does leaving the leaves kill the grass?
The nonprofit said leaving leaves in your yard “doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your yard to the wilderness.”
They don’t need to be left wherever they have fallen, and can be raked into garden beds and around tree bases.
While too many leaves left on the yard can kill grass, using them as a natural mulch in garden beds helps control weeds and adds nutrients to the soil, according to the Xerces Society.
“Avoid shredding leaves with a mower,” the nonprofit said. “Raking or blowing (electric) are alternatives that will keep leaves whole for the best cover and protect the insects and eggs already living there.”
For more information on the environmental benefits of leaving the leaves, visit here.
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