When I was young, fall was a time my siblings and I raked up leaves from the massive tulip tree that dominated our backyard. After carefully putting them in an enormous pile, we jumped in, sending them scattering.

Times have changed. My sister, brother and I live in different parts of the county, the tulip tree is gone, and leaves no longer need to be raked.

No longer rake, you protest!

Yes, leaves provide yard and the wildlife with invaluable resources that should be cherished. (They shouldn’t even be shredded since most of the beneficial insects within them–bees, butterflies and others burrowed within—may be destroyed.)

I hear your skepticism.

But think of a forest, I reply. The rich soil in forests comes, in large part, from fallen leaves.

Wherever they fall, leaves enrich soil, reduce erosion and keep the ground moist. Even a thin layer on grass provides benefits.