Don't feel like raking? No worries. Michigan wants you to leave the leaves

• The no-rake movement encourages residents to leave the fall leaves on the ground
• Leaving the leaves can be beneficial to insects and critters that burrow in them during the fall 
• Residents can also create a pile of leaves in the corner of their yard and let them decompose, which nourishes the soil 

Michigan’s 14 billion trees can be a beautiful sight in the fall when the leaves change color, displaying hues of red, orange, brown and yellow. But after they start hitting the ground, comes the tedious task of raking them. 

Residents who want to avoid the seasonal task and leave the leaves can do so with peace of mind: Experts say leaving them on the ground is beneficial to critters that rely on them — and the overall environment. 

“It's kind of getting back into nature,” said Aaron Hiday, compost program coordinator with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in a press statement. “The leaves are going to decompose and be beneficial to your soil. Saves you from having to rake them up, and it’s good for your yard.”

The “no-rake movement” is similar to ”no-mow May,” the movement that discourages mowing the lawn in the month of May, thus allowing the tall grass to serve as a habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Layers of fallen leaves create a mini-ecosystem for chipmunks, turtles, shrews and other critters that reside in them during the fall. 

“Some of these creatures, they're a caterpillar during the summer and then in the winter, they're in that cocoon waiting for spring to turn into a moth,” a term called pupating, said Lindsey Kerr, consumer horticulture educator at Michigan State University. 

“The other thing is that they (insects) might die at the end of the season. In the fall they've laid eggs and so those eggs are waiting over the winter and then they'll hatch in the spring,” she said. 

Related:

• Michigan expert: ‘No Mow May’ not all it’s cracked up to be
• Fall colors 2024: When leaves change and best places in Michigan to see them
• Michigan awards $3 million to help communities plant, maintain trees

Raking the leaves could destroy the homes of critters that burrow in them during the winter or even kill some of the insects and their eggs. But leaving them on the ground preserves these critters and the mini-ecosystem created within the leaf layers.

Leaves can also be used as compost for garden beds or  to create mulch, which moderates temperature extremes by keeping roots warmer during the winter and cooler in the summer, and helps to keep moisture in the ground, which is especially helpful during times of drought, according to the US Department of Agriculture. 

Healthier soil increases pollination which is beneficial for insects like wooly bear caterpillars, beetles, moths and butterflies and pollinators that feed on these plants.

If you can’t resist the rake

While leaving the leaves can be a relief for some residents, others may be burdened by the abundance of them in their yard. 

“You don't have to clean every leaf off your lawn or leave every single leaf, Kerr said. “If you need to, you can run over them with your lawn mower and that helps them break down faster.” 

Even putting the leaves in a pile and keeping them there throughout  fall and winter will help nourish the soil as they decompose, while also allowing sunlight to reach the rest of your lawn. 

Kerr suggested that residents who choose to use a leaf blower opt for an electric option to decrease the amount of air and noise pollution generated from it. 

“After a while people experience fatigue from hearing that noise from leaf blowers. But there are battery powered leaf blowers that are terrific and they're quiet and they aren't as forceful,” she said.