10/04/2026
NWF Garden for Wildlife
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October is Leave the Leaves Month, and it couldn’t be any easier to celebrate! All you have to do is take a break from bagging up your yard waste.
Did you know that in one year alone, Americans disposed of over 35 million tons of yard waste? Even though we call it “waste,” these leaves and sticks are actually vital habitat and important fertilizer for your plants. You can make a huge difference for wildlife and the environment when you keep your fallen leaves in your garden. Use them as mulch in your garden beds, under trees, and even in your compost pile.
Plus, as a way to celebrate, we’re offering 10% off the certification fee and bundled garden signs when you get your garden recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat® this month! Just use the discount code FALL10.
We hope you enjoy all these leaf resources we’ve created for you! Are you already leaving the leaves? Share your photos and stories with us here!
Warmly,
The Native Plant Habitat Team
5 Benefits of Using Fallen Leaves in Your Garden
One of the best things you can do for wildlife, the environment, and even your wallet is to intentionally use the fallen leaves and other organic matter in your garden. Celebrate Leave the Leaves month by using the leaves in your garden this season. It could have more benefits than you realize!
Discover all of the benefits provided by leaving the leaves.
Pine needles and fallen leaves
Pine Needles Are Leaves, Too
When you picture fallen leaves, you’re probably not thinking of pine needles. But in many places, these are the most common leaves on the ground! Pine, or conifer, needles are leaves that evolved into a very different shape from the flat, broad deciduous leaves we normally think of. Leaving pine needles can still have huge benefits, though.
Learn about how pine needles can be used in the garden.
Junco
Leave the Leaves to Attract Birds
Gardeners are often looking for ways to attract birds to their garden, from feeders to nesting boxes. However, one of the best things you can do for birds might be easier than you think! Birds depend on the fallen leaf layer in a number of ways, and leaving the leaves could be the key to attracting gorgeous backyard birds to your garden.
Learn how the fallen leaves help attract birds to your garden.
It's Leave the Leaves Month! Save 10% on Certified Wildlife Habitat signs.
Bat in tree
Celebrate Bat Week this October!
There are over 1,400 bat species worldwide, with 47 found in the U.S. and Canada. These remarkable fliers not only consume vast numbers of mosquitoes but also pollinate night-blooming flowers, making them essential to healthy ecosystems. A recent report shows 52% of bat species in North America are at risk of population decline in the next 15 years. The time is now to learn more and take action for the only flying mammal on the planet.
Read about bats, take the quiz, and download the tip sheet to learn how to create bat habitat in your backyard.
Leaves on ground
Pro-Tips for Leaving the Leaves
Each year, we hear from gardeners wondering how to leave their leaves, asking questions from where to put them to how to keep them from blowing away. We’ve answered your most common leave the leaves questions in this blog.
Your leaf questions, answered!
Gardeners are also reading:
Leave the Leaves to Save Fireflies!
Five Simple Ways to Create Habitat this Fall
Wildlife Garden Signs
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