Why Leave the leaves

The loss of biodiversity and habitat is a main cause of pollinator and wildlife decline. We can help by providing important overwintering and nesting habitat in our own backyards. Overwintering habitat is found in woodlands, in meadows, gardens and in untidy backyards. Following are the BIG 4 overwintering habitats in the Northern states:

1. Mulch piles

2. Leaves

3. Wood piles

4. Stiff stemmed plants

Not only do the big four provide habitat, but also enrich soil and act as a natural mulch to protect plants and trees. A blanket of leaves shelter pollinators like butterflies and moths, as well as other beneficial invertebrates, amphibians, and other small creatures that support the food web. Cocoons can often be missed, they are camaflouged with oak and lilac leaves so one can easily rake them or blow them away.

cocoon surrounded by oak leaf of the polyphemus, giant silk moth

Leaves act as a natural fertilizer for lawns and soil, insulate plant and tree roots, retain moisture, and suppress weeds as they decompose.

Standing plant stems of coneflowers, joe pye, asters, monarda, goldenrod and other native plants provide overnesting tunnels for native bees and other beneficial insects. Learn more about stem-nesting bees in this guide by Heather Holm: https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com/uploads/1/3/9/1/13913231/stemnestingbeesweb_1.pdf

Leave your gardens and flower heads up over winter. Seed heads of grasses and flowers provide food for birds all year long including winter and nesting material in the spring. Read more here: https://www.thespruce.com/plants-to-leave-for-birds-11834861

Read more about Leaves as habitat here: https://xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves

And here: https://wildseedproject.net/blog/leave-the-leaves

We recommend leaving the leaves, and stiff stemmed plants up until May each year when pollinators and other creatures begin to emerge alongside blooming plants that provide nectar and pollen, and warmer weather in which pollinators can fly. Temps need to be 50 degrees or warmer consistently for wings to function.