Enjoy an eco-friendly October

#MiddleburyCT #MiddleburyCT #EcofriendlyOctober

The annual Halloween Graveyard by Bradley and Robbie Bernstein is a great example of scary decorations done completely without the synthetic spiderwebs that are so dangerous to birds and wildlife. The gravestones and other decorations can be reused each year. For general autumn decorations, corn stalks, pumpkins and mums are also eco-friendly. (Janine Sullivan-Wiley photo)

By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY

October can be a bit of an ecological trap. But it doesn’t have to be.

The biggest ecological damage is probably accidental. People have fun spreading fake spider webs outdoors for Halloween. Wild Birds Unlimited says of the danger these represent, “Fake spider webs are often placed on bushes and trees or around window ledges — all places where birds tend to land — and they can become entangled. Trees and bushes serve as wonderful places for birds to rest or hide from predators, but when wrapped in fake spider webs a place of safety can quickly become a trap that they can’t escape from.”

The spider web’s synthetic fibers don’t break easily and can trap not only birds but also bats and small mammals that walk into them. They can be injured or die trying to escape. If the fibers are used by birds in their nests, the same thing can happen to the nestlings.

Our pets are not immune to the dangers either, and some may get entangled or even eat the fibers, which can cause intestinal blockages. Also, the fibers last long after Halloween, causing environmental damage.

This doesn’t mean we should be anti-holiday decorations. It means we should look at the many safer alternatives for wildlife and pets.

Using natural materials can be easy. Pumpkins come in all shapes and colors and can be recycled into compost. Fun fact: one year in spring I found pumpkin plants eagerly growing out of my compost bin. A seed from the mushy pumpkins I dumped there the previous fall had sprouted. I couldn’t bear to disturb them (sadly that meant I also couldn’t use that compost) but by the end of summer, we had our very own organically grown sugar pumpkins. I made a pumpkin pie out of one of them. Hay bales and corn stalks exemplify autumn and can be added to a brush pile at the end of the season.

Other more eco-friendly Halloween decorations include reusable lights and statutes. While not compostable, they meet the “reduce, REUSE, recycle” mantra. This can be a few spooky items or the kind of huge display offered by the Bernsteins for the public to wander. (See accompanying photo.)

Other eco-friendly October options are buying native plants and shrubs and planting them to replace non-natives (especially invasive ones like burning bush). Fall is a great time for planting, and nurseries often have their stock discounted. The ground is warm but the air cool, encouraging root rather than leaf and branch development.

Then there are the excellent “lazy gardener” options: don’t cut back all of your perennials. Many native insects rely on these as places to over-winter. Look closely at some of the stems and you’ll see the hollow spaces that are perfect for a cozy winter snooze. The big stuff is perfect for your brush pile, the values of which have been detailed in an earlier issue of this newspaper.

October also brings an abundance of fallen leaves. While they are often the bane of homeowners, leaf litter is essential for fireflies, many butterflies and moths and queen bumble bees. Leaves can be dealt with in eco-friendly ways, too.

The first option is to leave them where they fall. If you can’t abide that idea (or want to keep peace with your neighbors), using a mulching mower gets rid of the leaves and provides nutrients for the soil. The mower can kill insects, but you can mitigate the harm if you place the mulched leaves in garden beds, where they provide winter insulation for our native insects and protect the roots of plants. Or add the leaves to your compost bin. If you must dispose of them, you can use paper bags and take them to your transfer station, which likely has a designated area for leaves and grass clippings. Middlebury’s is on the lower level around the back of the area for garbage, food waste and bulk trash.

Other October options include going for an autumnal migration bird walk, to spot those part-time birds that have not already headed south with their human counterpart snowbirds. You might even start a nature journal, recording what you see, smell and hear as the seasonal clock turns.

Truly, every season has its wonders and opportunities. Hopefully this fall can be enjoyed with all of our amazing world’s needs kept in mind.

For questions or comments, contact this writer at jswspotlight@gmail.com. Visit the Middlebury Land Trust on Facebook or the website at middleburylandtrust.org.