In Defense of Plants Podcast Ep. 549 - Advocating for Fallen Leaves
Oct 26, 2025
Naturalist David Mizejewski, a seasoned communicator for the National Wildlife Federation, advocates for leaving fallen leaves to support ecosystem health. He delves into storytelling as a tool for conservation, discusses overcoming HOA barriers to natural gardening, and highlights the benefits of leaf litter for wildlife habitats. David explains how leaves provide crucial shelter for pollinators and small mammals while emphasizing the importance of composting. He encourages listeners to be approachable advocates, making local impacts in the fight for sustainable gardening.
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Thrashers Foraging In Leaf Piles
- Matt watches brown thrashers forage actively in his leaf piles after he keeps leaves in garden beds.
- Seeing wildlife responses motivated him to wonder what else the leaf layer supports.
Careful Framing Prevents Misunderstanding
- Framing matters: saying 'leave the leaves in your yard' caused confusion because many equate yard with lawn.
- Communicators must anticipate misinterpretation and clarify 'use leaves as mulch, not leave thick layers on lawns.'
Compost Excess Leaves
- Compost excess leaves or make a dedicated leaf mold pile rather than bagging and trashing them.
- Use resulting leaf mold next spring to enrich soil and reduce waste.
