Creation Care Resources
Saint Ann’s is a Level 3 Green House of Worship.
This recognition is awarded by the CT Interreligious Eco-Justice Network (IREJN), a program of environmental stewardship that grants certificates of achievement for implementing eco-friendly measures in buildings and within congregations.
Every fall, something remarkable happens as leaves, pine needles, and garden debris settle to the ground. While this traditionally motivates us to drag out the rake, we encourage you to leave things be this season. The organic matter builds critical habitat that shelters wildlife and prepares your yard for spring.
We're proud to support the National Wildlife Federation® Leave the Leaves Month, and we hope you'll join us. Now through October 31, 2026, NWF is offering Wild Birds Unlimited customers 10% OFF Certified Wildlife Habitat® certifications with promo code WBU10.
Whether your yard is blanketed in leaves or carpeted in pine needles, the same principle applies: resist the urge to clear it all away. Here's what's happening under that natural layer:
Butterflies and moths need it. Most species overwinter as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult. Leaf litter and garden debris are their shelter. Remove it too soon and you lose next year's pollinators before they ever take flight.
Bumble bees depend on it. At summer's end, mated queen bumble bees burrow just an inch or two into the soil to hibernate. A thick layer of leaves or needles is the difference between surviving winter and not.
Birds, frogs, lizards, and turtles use it too. Ground cover of any kind creates a living ecosystem that keeps pests in check and pollination thriving come spring.
Your soil benefits as well. Fallen leaves and pine needles act as a natural mulch, suppressing weeds and slowly enriching the soil as they break down.
If you do need to tidy up in spring, just wait until late in the season so the life you've protected has a chance to emerge.
Then spread the word! Share this with your community. The more yards that join the movement, the bigger the difference we make together.
Even Bugs Need a Little Love
The tiny invertebrates that creep many of us out are the foundation of biodiversity. READ MORE
In case you didn't know - these are dragonfly babies.
Don't kill them. They eat thousands of mosquitoes when they mature. Habitat degradation has put dragonflies at risk.
Why Bumble Bees are the Fuzzy Heroes We Need (click on image)
If the insect world has a fuzzy, charismatic cutie, it’s surely the humble bumble bee. While insect populations are declining around the globe, bumble bees face unique threats that make them particularly vulnerable. Surveying projects across the U.S. are combining the forces of researchers and community scientists to help protect these critical native pollinators.
Our host and museum curator, Jessica Ware, Ph.D. dives inside the hive to explore why honey bees aren’t the coolest pollinator in town. And Hillary Sardiñas, the pollinator coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shows us how to net a queen bumble bee and explains how you can get involved in the mission to save imperiled insects! The series is produced for PBS by the American Museum of Natural History.
Going a Little Greener
The new year is a great time to assess your "carbon footprint". There are several online tools you can use. Here is one available at the Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/
Note that changing your eating habits (eating less meat) and your travel (avoiding airplanes) have more impact on easing your footprint than many other things, including recycling, which our committee feels is a moral obligation!
