Every autumn, trees release millions of leaves. We often think of them as the remnants of summer—the colorful evidence that chlorophyll has disappeared and the tree is preparing for winter. But a fallen leaf isn’t really the end of the story. It is the beginning of another one. Once a leaf reaches the ground, it becomes part of one of nature’s most important recycling systems. Its nutrients return to the soil, its carbon becomes food for decomposers, and it can provide shelte

For much of modern history, forests have often been viewed through an economic lens. Trees become board feet of lumber, sources of pulp, fuel, or land to be cleared for development. While these uses are real and sometimes necessary, they can obscure a more fundamental truth: forests are living communities upon which all life—including our own—depends. Many Indigenous cultures throughout North America have long held a different perspective. Trees, animals, rivers, and even the