Eco-Friendly Fall

With the changing seasons comes an opportunity to make positive choices for the ecosystems around us. From turning off lights at night to leaving your garden a little untidy, there are plenty of simple things you can do this fall to support local wildlife, improve your soil, reduce waste, and care for the environment.

In the Garden:

• Plant native plants! Fall is a perfect time to plant many native perennials. Visit your local nursery or plant swap and add some native plants to your garden. (More info)
• Plant cover crops to help protect and rejuvenate your soil. (More info)
• Save your seeds. Start collecting seeds from your garden to plant next year and reduce the number of seeds you need to purchase. Just remember to leave some seeds behind for the birds!
• Leave your garden untidy. Resist the urge to cut everything back in the fall. Many beneficial insects overwinter in perennial plant stalks, and those plants can provide important habitat throughout the winter.
• Leave the leaves! The leaves haven’t started to fall yet, but now is a good time to make a plan for what you’ll do with them. Avoid throwing leaves away or burning them. Instead, use them as mulch, add them to your compost, or leave them in place where appropriate. (More ideas here)
• Make a brush pile with fallen branches and other woody debris. Brush piles provide shelter and habitat for birds, small mammals, amphibians, and insects.
• Preserve your garden’s harvest for winter! Freezing, canning, fermenting, drying, and other preservation methods can help you enjoy your garden’s bounty for months to come.
• Have a tree that needs to come down? Consider leaving the trunk or standing portion as a snag when it is safe to do so. Dead and dying trees provide valuable habitat for birds, insects, fungi, and other wildlife.
• Looking for more ideas? Check out our Permie Corner for more resources on gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living.

For the Birds 

• Migration season is underway! Help migrating birds by turning off unnecessary outdoor lights at night. Bright lights can disorient birds during migration and increase the risks of collisions. (More info from Audubon)
• Leave your garden untidy. Those dried flowers and seed heads aren’t just for decoration, birds can eat the seeds throughout the fall and winter.
• Build a brush pile. Fallen branches and woody debris can provide valuable cover and shelter for birds and other wildlife.

Buy Local 

• Skip the plastic decorations. Local farms often have pumpkins, corn stalks, dried flowers, wreaths, and other natural options for fall decorating.
• Keep shopping at your farmers market! Fall farmers markets are full of delicious seasonal produce. Look for winter squash, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, greens, garlic, and more. Buying directly from local farmers supports our regional food system and keeps your food dollars in the community.
• Shop secondhand. Before making a new purchase, check your local thrift shops, Buy Nothing groups, and online marketplaces. Buying used keeps perfectly good items out of the waste stream and can save you money, too!
• Choose local firewood. Source your firewood locally and never move firewood long distances, which can spread invasive insects and diseases.

Small choices can add up. This fall, take a few extra minutes to look at your yard, your shopping habits, and your daily routines through an ecological lens. A little less tidying, a little more local, and a little more habitat can go a long way.