Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are responsible for pollinating about 75% of food worldwide! In other words, for every four bites of food, three were provided by pollinators. Pollinators are keystone species that play an important role in our local agriculture and economy. Oregon is home to over 500 bee species and 150 butterfly species alone. We can help pollinators survive the winter by simply leaving the leaves.

Fallen leaves create a pollinator-friendly habitat by providing shelter from the elements, camouflage, and food for the winter. Consider supporting healthy, essential habitats for pollinators by keeping fallen leaves in your yard. 

What You Can Do
Your backyard is a great place to establish a pollinator-friendly winter habitat. Here are a few guidelines to get you started.

• Let leaves remain in gardens wherever possible. Fallen leaves have the same weed suppression and moisture retention properties as shredded wood mulch—and they are free!
• Keep leaves whole. Pile them around trees, shrubs, perennials, and in garden beds. 
• Avoid using pesticides including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
• Grow pollinator-friendly plants. View a list of pollinator-friendly plants in the Maritime-Northwest.

Our local economy benefits from pollinator-friendly communities through healthier ecosystems, increased vegetable and fruit crop yields, and demand for plant materials from local growers. The City supports creating sustainable pollinator habitats, maintaining healthy landscapes, and is a Bee City USA.  This year, leave the leaves to help protect the bees. For more details, visit the City of Hillsboro Bee City USA.