Leaves are not yard waste, they are a habitat
The smell of dry leaves brings back childhood memories of a favourite autumnal tradition — raking leaves with my dad.
He was not a nature guy — far from it — but every fall we enjoyed countless hours together in our suburban yard gathering leaves and stuffing them into plastic bags. Although I treasure the memories of time spent outdoors with my dad, I cringe at the thought of the hundreds of insects I shipped off to the landfill and certain death.
As I would find out years later, many insects overwinter in leaf litter, dry plant stems and fallen logs. The orange-and-black woolly bear caterpillar you see crossing over sunstruck snow in February, the mourning cloak butterfly flitting about on a bright April day, the greenbrown chrysalis hiding among like-coloured leaves, from which a butterfly will emerge in spring — these insects and many more can be found in what we refer to as “yard waste.” But it is not waste at all; it is home to many species seeking shelter from the cold.
I still enjoy raking — the sight, sound and smell of decaying leaves as well as the rhythmic motion of the activity. But now I know better than to stuff the leaves into bags and send them away.
Instead, I pile them high in raised vegetable beds, tuck them in among wildflowers and grasses and place them around shrubs and trees. This leaf litter — which is prettier, cheaper and easier to acquire than storebought mulch — provides a winter home to the insects that will pollinate plants, control pests, nourish baby birds and enrich the soil next year.
In 2019, Conservation Biology reported that 40 per cent of insect species are declining globally and a third of them are endangered. Contributing factors include habitat loss and degradation, chemical use, invasive species and climate change.
Can garden choices and actions make a positive difference in this abysmal situation? Yes, they can. A 2016 research review demonstrated that urban gardens and other green spaces support a diversity of pollinators while also presenting an opportunity for nature appreciation and community science.
Leaving the leaves in garden beds and around trees is one way to support overwintering insects. Another is to grow plants with hollow and pithy stems, like Joe pye weed, cup plant, raspberry or elderberry, and allow the stems to persist through winter. Cutting off the tops of stems in the fall will increase their usefulness to insects, as will letting them stand well into spring.
My father’s raking days are long behind him, but mine persist in a more thoughtful way.
With every year I learn a little more about insects and wild species in general and how I can support them in my garden and beyond. This fall, I encourage you to breathe in the glorious smell of decaying leaves and celebrate their immense contributions to our gardens and our lives.
Remember, leaves are not “yard waste,” they are habitat.