Let nature do its thing.
It needs this fallen cover for the winter.
It’s like a thick, fluffy, edible, biodegradable cardigan that helps nature live through the winter.
Provides food and shelter to animals. Keeps plants from freezing. Prevents weeds to grow by blocking out sunlight.
Then in the spring it turns into compost, which again provides nutrients that all life in the soil will benefit from.
Leave the leaves.
https://xerces.org/leave-the-leaves
https://nwf.org/Home/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2023/10-2-23-Leave-the-Leaves
https://www.thespruce.com/why-you-should-leave-fallen-leaves-8404065
https://greensourcedfw.org/articles/why-you-should-leave-your-leaves
https://www.webstergrovesmo.gov/708/Leave-the-Leaves