Put Down the Rake, Let Nature Do Its Thing!

 By: Cali Martozie, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Writing Intern

It’s officially that time of the year when the leaves falling from the trees have sped up their pace, leaving the beautiful array of reds, oranges, purples, and yellows to settle on the soil. This means it’s time to take out the rake and throw them away, right? Well, not exactly… Instead, you can save time in yard work and leave them be!

While there may be the initial instinct to look at the yard filled with leaves and say it’s messy, then bag them up, there are harmful processes that occur when bags of leaves go to landfills. When leaves don’t have enough oxygen to decompose, they release a harmful greenhouse gas that is 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, methane, which traps heat in the atmosphere. Letting the leaves stay could help everyone do their part in reducing these harmful emissions that contribute to climate change (Environmental Protection Agency, 2025) (Tangley, 2015). 

On the other hand, by letting the leaves stay, a lot of healthy and natural processes unfold that wouldn’t occur otherwise. They provide many benefits to yards as they decompose, creating a mulch that suppresses pesky weeds and places healthy nutrients back into the soil. Not only that, but leaves provide shelter for wildlife that stay overwinter, such as turtles, salamanders, toads, moths, fireflies, butterflies, and bees! By the time one starts raking, these creatures could have already found their home, and others will be left without one (Black, et .al, 2025) (Tangley, 2015) (Zoological Society of Milwaukee).

In the end, I’m not saying you have to leave all the leaves where they fall. If there are too many in one area and not a thin and healthy spread, they can be moved to garden beds, and be used to make compost, be used to make a brush shelter, or even be given to other people who will use them in the community! It is also beneficial to be careful and keep an eye out for any wandering leaves that could end up in storm drains and pollute waterways (Zoological Society of Milwaukee) (Tangley, 2015).

Go out, spread the word, and save the extra work and back pain! For more information on how to safely dispose of leaves, reach out to your local county sustainability office. If you are interested in learning more about pollinators and how to help them, keep an eye on our program calendar for our spring seasonal programs here at Beaver Creek!