PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 9, 2021
When we clear our yards of leaves, we inadvertently destabilize natural processes that support healthy plant growth, enrich soils with nutrients and provide habitat for many creatures. Leaves insulate plant roots throughout the winter, contribute to building up living soil and store carbon. Small creatures spend a critical part of their life cycles in this leaf duff, including fireflies, butterflies, moths, bees, frogs and salamanders. Most important, we must abandon the use of leaf blowers, which destroy the environment. I encourage you to “leave the leaves” to ensure a healthy yard, improve local ecosystems and enjoy the beautiful, natural world of a Maine November day. ~ Michelle Smith, Wild Seed Project, Portland