October is a fitting time to notice the particular beauty of decay and the quiet work dead wood performs in the landscape. What we’re often tempted to clear away- standing dead trees, decomposing logs, and brush piles- provide some of the garden’s richest habitat, offering wildlife food, shelter, and overwintering refuge. As it breaks down, dead wood enriches the soil, encourages natural regeneration, and lends the landscape a sense of age and continuity, adding texture and character that deepen over time. This program invites gardeners to reconsider dead wood as vital habitat, part of a healthy woodland system, and a thoughtful element in managed landscapes.