Science Says Don’t Bother Raking Your Leaves

Why is it that so much of what makes fall great also makes us want to be lazy? Eating "comfort food" while sitting on the couch watching football or the new fall TV shows doesn't exactly do the waistline any favors. It stays dark longer. You're less motivated to exercise at precisely the time you need it most. You're at work all week and then you have to spend part of your weekend cleaning up a mess like the one in the picture...or do you?

This wooded area behind my house is beautiful three-quarters of the year. I love living in such a scenic neighborhood -- until that barrage of leaves comes falling down and it's time to blow or rake them. But, as you can see, it's not really getting done very fast and now, thanks to some news from the National Wildlife Federation published in USA Today, I have a good excuse.

I see all sorts of deer, squirrels, birds, and other creatures of nature (including some that are not so cute) come around and it turns out, leaving your deluge of leaves intact might actually be good for them. That's assuming you want those visitors in your yard in the first place. A fence and my dog tend to keep them from getting too close, and I figure the leaves must be beneficial for my dog, too, if for no other purpose than to serve as a new toy! So no, don't get in too big of a hurry to remove the leaves, you could be feeding and maintaining a habitat for some beautiful wildlife!

[Via USA Today]