Why #LeavetheLeaves?
Tree’s roots are constantly digging deep below our feet in search of water, air, and nutrients. Turns out they work hand in hand with mycorrhizae to break apart the bedrock that contains minerals they, and many lifeforms need. In short, some of those nutrients end up in the leaves that fall onto our sidewalks, driveways, lawns, and garden beds. Let’s make it easier to know why you should #LeavetheLeaves and celebrate your neighbors doing the same!
Here’s a list of all of the benefits that few of my colleagues and I created (probably not all-inclusive either):
and 2. Protects soil from erosion & Compaction
When we get into the wet season and rain comes crashing down at what…9.8 meters per second? Actually it’s a little less than that due to friction and the size of the drop. I digress. It can hit a number of surfaces - leaves, rooves, hardscapes, your head and also the soil.
For exposed soil, every drop is a minor punch that, depending on it’s composition (sand, clay, or silt), has a couple results. One, it can break up the soil and take with it valuable nutrients (erosion). Two, it compacts the soil making it harder for future plants to grow.
Let’s add leaves to the mix. The brute force of rain falling on leaves gives the soil a cushion so that erosion is reduced and that the compa
