Dead leaves, dried stems, flower heads and yard debris sustain a host of wildlife throughout the winter, providing food and shelter.

If you enjoy walking through fallen leaves and hearing the crunch beneath your feet, then this is your time of the year.

Most people, though, find raking, bagging and blowing those leaves a tiresome chore. It isn't necessary to remove every last leaf in your yard this fall and winter.

The dead leaves, dried stems, flower heads and yard debris sustain a host of wildlife throughout the winter, providing food and shelter.

In addition, the packed leaves decay, enriching the soil as well as suppressing weed growth. Visit https://extension.psu.edu/composting-leaves to learn more about composting leaves.

Leaf litter provides a perfect habitat for many organisms. Most of the tiny critters found in this habitat are invertebrates, meaning they have no backbones. They feed on the leaves, breaking them into tiny pieces.

Bacteria and fungi decompose the leaf litter, converting it into minerals and nutrients that nourish plants and trees. Slugs, snails, worms, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, pill bugs and beetles call the fallen leaves home.

The leaf layer is the primary habitat for salamanders, chipmunks, wood frogs, box turtles, toads, and shrews, providing shelter, moisture, insulation for burrows, and nesting material.Many of our native butterfly and moth species overwinter in leaf litter as larvae or pupae. Luna moths and wooly bear caterpillars (which become Isabella tiger moths) survive the cold as cocoons.Great spangled fritillaries hide under the leaves as tiny caterpillars. Mourning cloak butterflies remain hidden as adults.These caterpillars and other insects provide a buffet of food for birds arriving in the spring. Juncos, sparrows, towhees, jays, pheasants and even wild turkeys all feed in dead leaves.Also, the leaves hold small nuts and berries that fall from the trees, providing another type of forage for birds and animals.There are many reasons to let leaves remain on the ground this fall and winter. Within the fallen leaves, tree bark, rotting logs and dried seed heads under your trees lives a complex community that depends on leaf litter to survive our winters.Leaf litter is an important part of healthy soil and living organisms. Consider this when gathering and removing them in your landscape this fall and winter season.Mary Reefer is a Penn State Master Gardener of Butler County.

Mary Reefer is a Master Gardener who lives and gardens in Butler. She volunteers her time and knowledge to answer questions at the Master Gardener Greenline. In her spare time, she enjoys drawing botanical illustrations.