This is an outline of a presentation I gave to our county Master Gardeners meeting. Also, did one to the public through the Master Gardeners. Hopefully, this will help the Daily Kos community to take action and speak to HOA’s and elected officials to rethink the lawns and help our Planet. Most of those who serve in these roles have no idea they are harming the planet by removing the leaves and mowing. At this point, it is up to us to do it. The upcoming administration will not be doing this and will only make things worse for our Mother Earth.
Not so fun facts:
- In the last 10,000 years, human population went from one million to eight billion plus people. While humans went up, most everything else went down or extinct.
- 40% of insects will go extinct in the next 20 years based on the Entomological Society of America Conference which looked into date of the steep decline of insects in 2019. Study is known as “Insect decline in the Anthropocene: Death by a thousand cuts.
- Study pointed out half of all amphibians are imperiled. 2.5% have already gone extinct. Since 1970, bird numbers across North America are down by 2.9 billion.
- A 2020 United Nations report estimated that more than a million species are in danger of extinction over the next few decades.
How did this happen?
In 2019, the Entomological Society of America Conference in St. Louis, MO, found several stressors which pointed to this problem. Most of the stressors are from the last 150 years to now, a recent phenomenon in terms of planet Earth:
- deforestation- taking a forest and turning it into a wasteland, such as a PUD, Shopping Centers, etc.
- Climate Change — Arctic & Alpine communities are contracting, Sea level rises threaten coastal ecosystems.
- Agricultural Changes — industrialized agriculture, monoculturization, pesticide use, removal of native prairie species.
- Introduced Species- bringing in invasive plants means we have non-native insects, which kill our native insects.
- Nitrification - This mostly comes from burning fossil fuels & pollution. Other factors include: fertilizer usage, fossil fuel combustion light pollution and other industrial age factors.
- Urbanization and Suburbanization- biodiversity and wild lands pay a huge price with 8 billion plus people.
What can we do as caring, environmental stewards to support the insects and ecosystems?
- Leave the leaves for tree health and the insects. The taxonomy of Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths), many of which lay their eggs on the trees in North America. When we bag, mow or burn- these are all terrible things to do- we lose the next generation of invertebrates and insects. Underneath the leaves in the litter are the decomposer communities. Does anybody have clay in their soil? Problem solved by leaving the leaves. Leaves break it down and create healthy soil.
- According to Dr. Doug Tallamy: “ If leaf litter disappears, so do the decomposers, as well as the fungi and bacteria many eat, and the mycorrhizae that enable plant roots to absorb the nutrients they need.”
- Leaving the leaves filters out water pollutants from fertilizers, heavy metals, oils and pesticides. Leaf litter acts as a sponge preventing harmful pollutants from entering the watershed. Storm water runoff is a serious problem, but using simple steps, such as: planting native grasses, flowers and trees along with leaving the leaves can reduce storm water run off fees for businesses and homeowners in many cities and municipalities.
- Fun Fact: A mature oak tree can soak up 40,000 gallons of water in a year. The tree canopy alone on a single deciduous tree intercepts 500 to 750 gallons of rain per year.
- Leaving the leaves improves soil health and adds nitrogen, phosphorous and other nourishment and moisture to the soils. Tree health will improve and its and ideal place for the spring ephemerals to grow.
- Bagging, mowing and burning are not good choices for leaf removal. Bagging leaves means leaves go to the landfill, where it does not do normal decomposition, instead it turns into methane pollution which adds to global warming. Burning, if allowed is a terrible idea, it releases harmful air pollution particles, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxides and toxic carcinogenic particulate matter. Urban burning is a leading contributor to global warming. Use raked leaf piles in your flower beds, under trees, in garden beds, or put it a corner so you have healthy soil. If you still have an abundance of leaves, contact the Master Gardeners in your county or other gardening groups to see if they want them. This is free and Earth friendly fertilizer and mulches for gardeners.
- Plant native plants and trees. Native insects depend on native plants. Many insects and invertebrates (butterflies and moths) have a symbiotic relationship with specific plants and trees.
What about Home Owner’s Associations, Neighbors and elected officials? Talk to them about the benefits of a healthy environment.
- Talk to neighbors about the benefits of leaving the leaves. Leaf litter is free. Improves soil and tree health. Many bees and insects, such as Fireflies, live underground. Until recently, the average age of an oak tree was 900 years, humans changed this for them. We no longer are seeing this longevity in oak trees. Mulching with leaf litter will give them nutrients they need. Trees grew leaves for them to drop and decompose for their nutrients. They were counting on these leaves and we took them away. For what reason and what expense? A tidy green lawn void of insects and healthy soil. We can do better for Mother Earth.
- Master Gardeners in Tennessee states in the mission statement “to improve the lives of Tennesseans through horticulture education and environmental stewardship.” I’m sure this is in most other states mission statements. We should let our community know the importance of improving soil health, increasing insect populations, reducing storm water runoff, promoting water quality and the ecosystem.
- Talk to local commissioners, council members and Planning Committees to create better development for Planned Unit Developments, so they don’t create a wasteland by clear cutting trees, removing top soil, then paving the roads, building new homes and then laying down sod. Where does the storm water run off go? There is no root system from trees, native grasses and shrubs to soak up the excess runoff.
Talk to your family and friends. If you talk about it, your friends and family will begin to understand they are making a difference for a world worth keeping.
Sources include: Doug Tallamy “The Nature of Oaks”, The Watershed Foundation, My Waterways.org, EPA and others. Did this speech in August, so I will have dig up all sources and will do so.
