In the hills of coastal Connecticut River Valley, it’s leaf season.  Peaceful residents wake to the drone of a fleet of backpack blowers tidying nature’s winter blanket and the home to many species of insect.  Leaves are piled and collected and eventually disposed of at transfer stations(quiet often at a fee). Leaf season is an opportunity for us all to contribute to the health of CTs agricultural soils and the planet's health, by making some unconventional, systematic choices.   The best decision land managers can make is to leave leaves where they fall, as nature intended, providing habitat to burrowing species of bees and organic matter as a soil building amendment.  Sometimes leaves fall in places that cause them to be a danger, such as on driveways, roads and sidewalks.  For these leaves, collection makes sense, and the next stop in those leaves lives can be more or less sustainable, like every decision.