(Photo courtesy of Ohio News Connection/Adobe Stock)

By Nadia Ramlagan

Skip raking leaves this fall to keep yards healthy and provide winter habitat, nutrients and protection for wildlife, experts recommend.

October is designated as “Leave the Leaves Month” by the National Wildlife Federation. Ohio is a premier destination for fall foliage, with a large portion of the state covered in gold, red and yellow forests.

David Mizejewski, naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation, said fallen leaves act as both mulch and fertilizer.

“They land at the root zone of the plant where they protect soil moisture, they suppress weeds and they slowly compost and return those nutrients right to the roots of the plants,” Mizejewski explained.

Research shows in areas where fallen leaves are left in place, the soil soaks up 32% more organic carbon compared to landscapes where leaves are routinely cleared. Fallen leaves also provide critical protection from the elements for bats, Mizejewski noted.

“There’s even a species of bat that overwinters underneath the leaves. The eastern red bat, when it gets really cold, will bury itself under that leaf layer as extra insulation to survive the winter,” Mizejewski pointed out.

Bats are critical for controlling agricultural pests such as beetles and moths. Studies estimate across the nation farmers save between $3 billion and $53 billion annually due to bats eating pests and protecting crops.