A new annual survey found more New Yorkers are heeding the expert advice to leave fallen leaves on their lawns to aid wildlife.
The National Wildlife Federation survey noted 90% of people said they “leave the leaves” but only 18% actually do it. In some cases, local laws or neighborhood rules require them to keep lawns free of “leaf litter” but others just do not like the way their yard looks when it is covered with leaves.
Nancy DePas Reinertsen, North Fork co-chair for the group ReWild Long Island, hopes they will reconsider. She said the sustainable landscaping method comes with a host of benefits.
“We are providing habitat for beneficial insects that we call the pollinators, and we’re always interested in doing the best that we can for protecting our pollinators,” DePas Reinertsen explained. “The other thing is building soil.”
She pointed out native plants do not need chemical fertilizers or pesticides but they do need good soil. Fallen leaves break down and add nutrients to the soil. However, there is such a thing as too many leaves. DePas Reinertsen noted oak leaves are thicker and take longer to break down. They can smother other plants and grass, leaving them without access to the vital nutrients keeping them alive.
The survey also found 72% of people admit they put at least one bag of leaves in the trash and some toss out at least 10 bags. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said leaves and yard debris make up 12% of the solid waste at landfills, with more than 10 million tons of yard waste buried each year.
David Mizejewski, naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation, said leaving the leaves can aid in fighting climate change.
“Who would have thought a simple choice of what to do with your leaves in the fall could actually have a tie to something as big and massive as global climate change?” Mizejewski asserted. “It’s really true. There is a connection.”
He added leaves in landfills have harmful impacts, since they release methane gas when decomposing without oxygen. Methane is more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He’s previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR’s Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.