Several Washtenaw County communities, including Pittsfield Township and the City of Ypsilanti, are encouraging residents to leave a layer of leaves in their yards to support the local ecosystem.
There’s been a growing movement to leave some leaves in the yard instead of raking or chopping them up.
David Mizejewski is a naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation. He says those leaves house many critters over the winter. He adds that bumblebees, bats and various insects utilize this leaf cover and play a part in a healthy ecosystem.
“So, you begin to see some of these ecological connections between the fallen leaf layer and birds and butterflies and moths and bees, and all of these great wildlife species that could live in perfect harmony with us as our neighbor if we just give them some habitat.”
Mizejewski says residents shouldn’t burn or throw away leaves. He says they release many harmful pollutants into the air if disposed of in those ways.
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