It's true that raking leaves for some people is a kind of rite of fall. All those crispy, crunchy leaves raked into inviting piles just waiting for some kid to jump into. Yes, for some people that is an inviting scenario. Some people actually enjoy raking and you've got to love them for it.

But for many others, it's a fall chore that holds no pleasure. Hours of back-breaking work on the end of a rake is about as alluring as being stung by a wasp.

Well for those of us who would prefer to leave the raking to the wind or just leave the leaves, period - there is good news.

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Some yard and garden experts are giving homeowners permission to stop raking this year. In fact they are saying that working with nature instead of against it benefits all of us and the planet to boot.

Fall leaves provide habitat for all kinds of critters, including the bugs that beautiful birds like Cardinals feed on in the wintertime. It also provides a home for bumblebee queens who are so important to our plants and flowers in the spring and summer.

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One PBS expert noted that you could bring a lot of life to your yard just by "not tidying it up".

Fall leaves also bring a lot of nutrients to the soil as they decay and are ingested by earthworms who essentially make rich soil for us.

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Not to mention that by either mulching your leaves or just letting them lie, you're keeping thousands of pounds of waste out of landfills.

This doesn't mean you have to or should let your yard go wild, but instead, pick and choose areas that need to be cleared and areas that could be left to the critters who need homes for the winter.

Sources: PBS and Michigan Department of Natural Resources

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