I've mentioned before that Virginia Creeper ramps up one side of the ancestral home every year. During the summer months it is a lush green then turns fiery red in autumn. 

 When the leaves drop in late autumn I cut through the stems at head height to prevent any further growth. Every Christmas I pull them down. They're still clingy but a good tug yanks them off. This annual chop and drop is essential; two years growth would be up and over the roof.

 The leaves I sweep up and dump in a wire enclosure to make leaf mould. They seem to decompose much quicker than tree leaves. The stems go through the shredder reducing them to a sackful of mulch. 

 Postscript In his book 'Creating a Forest Garden' Martin Crawford notes "The stems are a good basketry material". For me though it's time to get the shredder out.