Leave not burn: ecoactivists talked about the benefits of fallen leaves for the soil

Leave not burn: ecoactivists talked about the benefits of fallen leaves for the soil shutterstock
Hanna Velyka

Every autumn, Ukrainians burn it in large quantities, causing damage to the environment

Fallen leaves provide shelter for insects and small animals and help the soil stay healthy and rich.

The NGO "Ekoltava" told about why to leave part of the autumn blanket on the ground.

First, it helps maintain the natural cycle of nutrients.

Secondly, fallen leaves create shelter for insects and small animals.

Third, the soil remains healthy and rich, because we return to it the nutrients previously removed by the trees.

Let's tell in more detail how it works:

  1. A layer of fallen leaves that accumulates on the ground forms a natural protective cover. It retains moisture in the soil and retains heat.
  2. Over time, these leaves decompose and turn into humus, an organic substance that enriches the soil with nutrients and improves its structure.
  3. In cultivated soils, where water and nutrients are quickly washed away, humus helps retain these elements. It promotes their gradual recovery and forms a more fertile soil capable of supporting a variety of plants.

ekoltava.org

Source: ekoltava.org.

Activists are sure that this approach contributes to the development of more sustainable and healthy ecosystems even in small garden plots. They recalled the need to remember the role of fallen leaves and humus when planning landscape design or before cleaning flower beds.

Earlier, EcoPolitic informed about how in different Ukrainian cities use fallen leaves

Related
Digest of environmental crimes: over UAH 140 million in damage from peat extraction and forest felling
Digest of environmental crimes: over UAH 140 million in damage from peat extraction and forest felling

Among the polluters of nature, an entrepreneur from Kyiv who burned tyres instead of recycling them "stood out"

Grove with century-old trees destroyed in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Grove with century-old trees destroyed in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

The aspen forests covered 37 hectares and were a rarity for the steppe ecosystem

Parliament fails vote to protect the Carpathians from wind turbines and development: who voted against
Parliament fails vote to protect the Carpathians from wind turbines and development: who voted against

Environmentalists suggest that it is still possible to gather the required number of votes

Long-aged reforms: which environmental bills parliament will consider during the new session
Long-aged reforms: which environmental bills parliament will consider during the new session

Some of the documents on the agenda have been awaiting consideration since 2019