Leave the Leaves Pledge
The Village's Leave the Leaves initiative encourages residents to leave fallen leaves during autumn rather than bagging the leaves to be hauled away.
During the winter months, leaf litter becomes an insulating blanket for the roots of trees and plants and provides nutrients as it decomposes. When compost is applied to soil, it enhances soil health and creates an abundant community of microbes and healthy plants that sequester carbon in the soil.
Oak Park residents are invited to pledge to leave their leaves by filling out the form below. Residents who complete the pledge are eligible to receive a free decorative garden yard flag upon request.
Benefits of Leaving Your Leaves
Improves tree and soil health
- Leaf litter becomes an insulating blanket for the roots of trees and plants and provides nutrients as it decomposes over the winter.
Protect insects and provide food for birds and other wildlife
- Insects are vital to climate resiliency and biodiversity.
- Fireflies, butterflies, and moths overwinter in fallen leaves.
- Slugs, snails, and worms feed on leaf litter, helping to break it down while enriching the soil with their waste.
- North American bird populations have declined by 1/3 since the 1970’s and continue to drop.
- A clutch of baby birds requires approximately 7000 insects to grow to adulthood.
Promotes soil moisture retention
- Helps reduce flooding and erosion.
Saves money for homeowners
- No paying for leaf bags, landscaping services or yard-waste pickup.
- Reduced need to purchase fertilizer and/or mulch.
- Less yard work and bagging. Cross a chore off your list!
How to Leave Your Leaves
- Gently rake or use an electric blower to move the fallen leaves:
- Under trees in an even carpet, extending out as far past the canopy dripline as possible.
- Underneath shrubs and bushes.
- Into garden beds.
- Mulch leaves directly into the grass with an electric lawnmower.
- Use leaves as brown material in a backyard compost pile or tumbler. Brown materials are a necessary source of carbon for healthy finished compost.
- Fallen leaves provide calcium, iron, potassium, copper, zinc, magnesium and trace micronutrients to your compost composition.