Is it really important to remove fallen leaves, in the autumn, so they don’t clutter up lawns and garden spaces?

On the web site of the Potomac Conservancy, Edamarie Mattei, of Backyard Bounty, argues that in fact it is is far better all around to let many of the leaves lie — or to shred them and use the resulting organic material to enrich the soil.

Sample:

Traditional practice has been to rake or blow the leaves off lawns and garden beds — clearing beds of the remains of the plants from the season so the garden enters winter neat and clear of all but a coat of mulch. I know it’s fall when I hear the sounds of gas blowers and see the large trucks driving around towns sucking up leaves.

Why is this wrong? When you take away the leaves, you take away a winter blanket, food, and habitat.

“Leaf litter is an important component of healthy soil. Decomposing leaf litter releases nutrients into the soil and also keeps it moist. It also serves as great nesting material, hiding places and protected spots for animals. This dead organic material provides the perfect habitat for a plethora of organisms, including worms, snails, spiders, and microscopic decomposers like fungi and bacteria. For this reason, leaf litter is considered very biodiverse.”
— Scientific American

Worth reading in its entirety. Thanks to Edamarie Mattei and the Potomac Conservancy.