Photo by Holly Wilbur
By Paula Musto
Have you ever considered turning your yard, or even just a part of it, back into the natural habitat that animals once roamed before it became your home? It may be one of the most important—and simplest—things that humans, as individuals, can do to help wildlife on our planet.
Nearly 70 percent of vertebrate wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to the World Wildlife Fund. A prime culprit is a devasting loss of biodiversity as people have replaced natural habitats with development—our homes, farms, commercial spaces and roadways.
“It’s not just mammals, birds and reptiles that are declining but also insects which are vital but underappreciated,” says Heather Heckel, a University of North Carolina adjunct assistant professor who teaches sustainability classes. “The severe loss of beneficial insect populations impacts food supplies, soil health, plants, birds, habitats and human health.”
Heckel is founder of the Asheville nonprofit Engage Globally, which promotes sustainable development in collaboration with other community-based organizations. She cites a number of causes for the severe decline, including climate change, soil and water pollution, diseases, habitat destruction and habitat fragmentation.
This decline is equally bad for humans. Insects are a crucial link in our food chain; more than 200,000 different species pollinate 75 percent of the world’s crops and play a key role in replenishing soil for agriculture. Yet, invertebrates (including insects, spiders and worms) are disappearing eight times faster than vertebrates (animals such as birds, reptiles and mammals).
There are, however, ways we can help. One is simple: Keep fallen yard leaves in your yard! Or, at least a portion of them. “Leaves are not litter,” Heckel says. “They provide warmth and shelter so insects, caterpillars, worms, larvae and other small wildlife can survive the winter. What we may consider yard debris will decompose, enriching the soil, helping both wildlife and plants thrive.”
A leaf-cluttered yard may run counter to the common perception of an attractive lawn—a perfectly manicured expanse of grass and tidy flower beds. And many of us live in residential developments where the rules mandate bagging and disposing of leaves. Heckel suggests, however, leaving the leaves in a portion of your backyard where homeowners’ rules do not apply. Away from street view, leaves can be gathered, along with any twigs and logs, and piled up to create a welcoming winter habitat for wildlife. This will support not only insects but also other overwintering animals including birds, reptiles and mammals who depend on the earth-crawling critters as a food source.
Drew Lathin, a landscape designer and certified Blue Ridge Naturalist, has made it a mission to spread the word that an immaculately manicured lawn is a dead one, a holdover of outdated notions of garden aesthetics. Instead, he advocates for rewilding urban landscapes by using native plants to create biological diversity. And he advises us not to dump the leaves.
“We need a paradigm change,” says Lathin, who operates Mountain Native Landscape Design, which re-imagines gardens more reminiscent of graceful meadows than aristocratic gardens. “While inter-related, the loss of biodiversity is more harmful to humans than climate change,” he says. The first step, he adds, is to forget the mow, trim and blow mentality that dominates traditional landscaping practices.
“Landscapes can be functional and sustainable, as well as beautiful,” Lathin says, pointing out the advantage of using low-maintenance native plants that do not require expensive pesticides, chemical fertilizers and frequent watering. Fall is a good time to begin planting native perennials to replace any invasive or exotic species. Rather than mulching flower beds, he uses fallen leaves to provide weed suppression and moisture retention. And, as a bonus, the leaves are free.
The first step in making your yard more wildlife-friendly may well be educating yourself on the do’s and don’ts. Visit online resources such as HomegrownNationalPark.org to learn about backyard natural habitats and Xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves for more information on leaving the leaves.
“Helping to conserve nature, getting to experience it every day and observing how life changes across the seasons, is beautiful, meaningful, hopeful and healthy,” Heckel says. “It’s why I love native plants and pollinator-friendly gardening. I see dozens of species of wildlife in my yard each day—insects and animals that are beneficial to everyone.”
Paula Musto is a writer and volunteer for Appalachian Wildlife Refuge which cares for injured and orphaned wildlife. If you find an animal that may need help, call the hotline at 828.633.6364. To learn more, visit AppalachianWild.org.
