Recycling for Wildlife
Recycling for a Healthier Habitat
Every year, we throw out millions of cubic yards of leaves, grass clippings, prunings, and kitchen scraps that can comprise a large percentage of our waste stream, if not handled responsibly. These materials can and should be recycled in your garden.
What you can do:
Spread grass clipping in a half inch thick layer around garden plants. This mulch holds moisture and improves the soil.
Apply leaves and pine needles directly as a mulch, or shred first and then mulch, or set them aside for composting.
Chip tree and shrub prunings and use as mulch or add to your compost pile. Larger branches can go directly into a brush pile, providing quality wildlife cover.
Establish a compost pile and add kitchen scraps (no meat, fats, or bones) along with narrow layers of yard wastes.
If you can't compost, urge your community to start a leaf-composting program. As a result, the community will have compost for enriching individual and community gardens.
