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:
- A layer of fallen leaves that accumulates on the ground forms a natural protective cover. It retains moisture in the soil and retains heat.
- Over time, these leaves decompose and turn into humus, an organic substance that enriches the soil with nutrients and improves its structure.
- 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.
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
