Every fall, it’s the same story: the leaves drop, and the rakes come out. Neighbors bag them up. Lawns get cleared. And while it might look tidy, it’s not actually what nature intended.

Leaving the leaves is an easy way to be kind to your yard, your trees, and your local ecosystem.

When leaves fall, they create a natural blanket that helps insulate tree roots through the winter, slowly breaks down into healthy, nutrient-rich soil, and provides critical shelter for overwintering insects like moths, butterflies, and fireflies. In other words, when we let leaves do their thing, we’re giving a boost to pollinators, birds, soil health, and next spring’s garden all at once.

Plus, here’s a secret: trees want to keep their own nutrients. Raking and bagging leaves takes those nutrients away from the very trees that dropped them. Leaving them in place (or lightly mulching them into your garden beds) lets trees recycle what they need to stay strong.

Now, we’re not saying let your yard disappear under a mountain of soggy leaves. But we are saying there is a way to find balance:

You should definitely clear your sidewalks and driveways. Wet leaves are slippery, and nobody wants to wipe out on their way to the mailbox. It’s also important to keep leaves out of storm drains, where they can clog pipes and contribute to localized flooding.

But you should leave some leaves under your trees and in your garden beds, especially in out-of-the-way spots where insects can overwinter in peace. You can mulch leaves into your lawn with your lawn mower although this disturbs and destroys some pollinator habitat. Or rake a few leaves into compost, too. The goal is to stop treating leaves like trash and start seeing them as part of a healthy, living landscape.

So this fall, take it easy on your rake. Your trees will thank you.

Did You Know?
Most types of leaves will fully decompose over the winter, so if you’re worried about fall leaves damaging your lawn, they’ll be gone by spring.

– Natasha, Charlotte City Arborist’s Office

Want to give your yard even more to love?

We’re still planting free trees across Charlotte, and fall is one of the best times to plant. Roots have time to settle in before summer heat rolls back around, and your new tree will appreciate those cozy leaves you left behind.

Request a free tree here.

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If you found this post tree-freshing, more knowledge about Charlotte’s trees awaits at Charlottenc.gov/trees!