Leave Your Leaves

A Small Change that Makes a Big Difference

Discover how leaving fallen leaves can support pollinators, improve soil, and help keep Charlotte’s urban forest healthy.

What is Leave Your Leaves?

Every fall, trees naturally shed their leaves as they prepare for winter. Instead of blowing, raking, bagging, and removing them, Leave Your Leaves encourages residents to let leaves work naturally in the landscape.

Leaving fallen leaves where they are can benefit your yard, or you can move them into garden beds, around trees, or into other planted areas.

Why it Matters

A layer of fallen leaves does much more than cover your yard.

Leaves provide habitat

Many butterflies, moths, bees, fireflies, salamanders, turtles, and other beneficial wildlife spend the winter hidden beneath leaves until warmer weather returns.

Leaves build healthier soil

As leaves slowly decompose, they return valuable nutrients to the soil, improve soil structure, increase moisture retention, and create natural mulch.

Leaves support healthier trees

Leaf litter helps regulate soil temperature, protects tree roots, reduces erosion, and helps trees retain moisture through changing seasons.

Leaves reduce waste

Keeping leaves on your property means fewer bags being sent to waste facilities and fewer greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting yard waste.

Leaves support pollinators

Many native pollinators rely on leaf litter to survive the winter so they can return in spring to pollinate flowers, gardens, and trees throughout Charlotte.

How to Leave Your Leaves

You don’t have to leave every leaf exactly where it falls. But if you must remove leaves, follow the proper Yard Waste Collection Guidelines. 

Here are simple ways to support wildlife while keeping your yard looking great.

Move leaves, don't REMOVE them.

Rake leaves into:

  • Garden beds
  • Around trees
  • Shrub borders
  • Natural areas of your yard

These spaces become natural mulch while providing valuable habitat.

Keep leaves off hard surfaces.

Clear leaves from:

  • Sidewalks
  • Driveways
  • Streets
  • Storm drains

This helps keep neighborhoods safe while protecting local waterways. View additional information about keeping leaves out of storm drains. 

Avoid shredding when possible

Whole leaves provide better shelter for butterflies, moths, and other insects. When possible, move leaves rather than mowing or heavily shredding them.

Save cleanup for spring

Many insects remain hidden in leaves and hollow plant stems throughout the winter. Waiting until spring for major yard cleanup helps wildlife complete its life cycle.

Even a small area helps

You don’t need a large natural space. Leaving leaves in just one garden bed or one corner of your yard can provide valuable habitat.

Get a 'Leave Your Leaves' Yard Sign

Show your support and help spread the word throughout your neighborhood.

Landscape Management is partnering with the Bee City Charlotte committee to offer free Leave Your Leaves yard signs at locations throughout Charlotte.

Residents living within Charlotte city limits can pick up a free sign at designated locations from October 1 - November 10 or while supplies last.  Your sign should be displayed in a visible location in your yard, but please remember to place it outside of the right of way (at least 11 feet from the curb).

Distribution locations and pickup times:

  • Landscape Management facility (701 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte 28208) Weekdays only from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Code Enforcement (2550 West Blvd.) Weekdays only from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Code Enforcement (3505 Central Avenue) Weekdays only from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Code Enforcement (11217 Providence Road West) Weekdays only from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Innovation Barn (932 Seigle Ave.) Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • Reedy Creek Nature Center (2986 Rocky River Road) Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Compost Central (140 Valleydale Road) Monday - Saturday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Farmer’s Market (1801 Yorkmont Rd.) October 10 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Leave your leaves yard sign

Help Spread the Word

One yard can inspire another.

By displaying a Leave Your Leaves yard sign, you’re helping neighbors learn how simple seasonal choices can support pollinators, healthier trees, cleaner soil, and a more resilient Charlotte. 

Together, we can create healthier neighborhoods – one yard at a time.

Show us how you're Leaving Your Leaves!

Take a photo of your Leave Your Leaves yard sign and share it on social media. Tag the City of Charlotte Landscape Management on Facebook and use #CLTLeaveYourLeaves so we can see your yard! 

Together, we can create healthier neighborhoods – one yard at a time.

Additional Resources

Sign up here for a Leave Your Leaves Workshop - October 14 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

Why You Should Leave the Leaves

I Didn't Know That!: Leave the Leaves (U.S. National Park Service)

Leave the Leaves! | Xerces Society

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