Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall

It's best to chop up leaves, which will then break down in the grass. Rake excess amounts into a landscape bed. (Kris Lord/Flickr Creative Commons)

Kris Lord / Kris Lord

As leaves across America make their annual autumn pilgrimage from the treetops to the ground, lawn and wildlife experts say it’s better to leave them around than to bag them.

First, because it keeps leaves out of landfills. Every year, about 8 million tons of leaves end up there.

And second, because leaves help the grass.