{"id":2908,"date":"2024-10-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/gardenecologylab\/?p=2908"},"modified":"2025-08-06T12:47:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T19:47:32","slug":"garden-practices-for-a-wildlife-conscious-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/gardenecologylab\/2024\/10\/15\/garden-practices-for-a-wildlife-conscious-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"Garden practices for a wildlife-conscious fall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. Don’t use fake spider webs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fake spider webs can be dangerous for wildlife both small and large. The webbing is fine enough to trap insects like bees and butterflies, and strong enough to ensnare small mammals and large birds like Western Screech Owls<\/a>. Wildlife rehabilitators receive calls to rescue birds, chipmunks, and other animals from webs every fall (Cotroneo, 2020). Consider allowing spiders themselves to set up webs in your bushes, or keeping your fake webs as an indoor-only d\u00e9cor item.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Keep your pumpkin out of the landfill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you considered where your pumpkin goes, once it’s begun the inevitable post-Halloween rot? According to the USDA, 22.4 million pounds of pumpkin went unused last year (USDA, 2024). This number accounts only for pumpkins unharvested (left in the field). But this statistic doesn’t consider the pumpkins we waste by throwing them into the trashcan at the end of the season. You can reduce the number of pumpkins that wind up in landfills by 1) eating your pumpkin, 2) composting it’s remains or placing it in a yard-waste bin, or 3) donating your pumpkin to feed livestock, such as pumpkins for pigs<\/a>! Every part of a pumpkin is edible, even pumpkin guts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Leave the leaves, if you can<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Leaves play an important role in both carbon storage and natural decomposition cycles (Ferlauto et al., 2023). Fallen leaves also provide shelter for many invertebrates that aren’t active through the winter, including queen bumble bees, firefly larvae, and caterpillars. If you must remove leaves from pathways, consider using them to mulch garden beds, or otherwise keeping them on your property, rather than disposing them.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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4. Turn off lights for migrating birds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fall is one of the two peak seasons annual bird migrations. Nocturnal migrators may be drawn into urban areas by artificial light, which can lead to disorientation and possible death. Collisions with buildings kill hundreds of millions of birds across North America annually (Van Doren et al., 2021). You can reduce your impact on light pollution by turning your exterior lights off, and pulling down blinds in rooms with windows where lights cannot be turned off or dimmed. In Oregon, peak fall migration is expected to be between September and October (Bird Alliance of Oregon).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Plant species with multiple benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fall is one of the best times of year for introducing new plants into garden spaces. When planting this fall, consider plant species that bring beauty to your garden and provide resources for wildlife. Many shrubs and trees that support pollinators<\/a> also provide seeds and berries that can feed birds or small mammals. Some of the top Pacific Northwest annuals and perennials for pollinators<\/a> may also provide pest control services by supporting beneficial insects and predators<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Share something you learned here with others<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We’ve created a companion Instagram post to share the information presented in this blog. Share our post to help spread helpful information that could positively benefit wildlife this fall!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Dr. Jen (@yentomology)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>