If you want to protect birds and other animals, you have to protect their source of food, namely, bugs. You may not want to welcome insects into your yard, but without them you won’t have the butterflies or birds. Tiny larvae and other organisms live among the leaves which fall from your trees. Even tiny soil animals, which enrich your soil, dwell within the detritus. Though invisible, they perform important work. Hence, leave the leaves. Relax, no raking necessary. In fact, it’s better not to rake as that will disrupt the tiny critters. If you have to move some leaves, relocate to mulch in existing beds without putting in large piles as insects need to emerge in time. Leaves are their habitat; some may remain there through the summer. Composting the leaves, which causes high temperatures as the leaves decompose, kills the insects, so should be avoided unless you have large quantities of leaves. Most important don’t shred, which disrupts the insects who rely on the leaves to complete their life cycle. Another benefit for leaving the leaves is that more carbon is absorbed into the soil, an important asset with climate change looming.

If you happen to have enormous quantities of leaves and decide to bag some to be recycled, keep in mind that the city only recycles leaves from Nov. 3 through Dec. 20. If you bag leaves other times, they are put in the trash. For collection and drop-off places, see phila.gov/services/trash-recycling-city-upkeep/recycle-fall-leaves.

Sandra Folzer

Environment Committee of Weavers Way