What is 'yard waste'?- When we refer to yard waste, this includes leaves, lawn clippings, fallen sticks or small branches, trimmed stems and dead plant material from flower and vegetable gardens. Large logs will need to be handled differently.

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Why are we concerned about yard waste?
Yard waste is not inherently a problem, in fact, leaving it alone can often be beneficial! Still, in some situations it can cause problems. Leaves and other yard waste accumulate in the fall and can clog drains and ditches, leading to stormwater backups and drainage issues. Leaves and yard waste should never be swept into storm drains, streets, or other pipes, drains, or culverts. 

Watch our Fall 'Seasonal Stormwater Series' video to learn more!

Best Practices for Residents, Businesses, and Property Managers

Benefits of Yard Waste

In natural areas like a forest, leaf litter, fallen branches, and dead stems from last years blooms are piled up thick enough to act as natures 'mulch'. This provides winter food and shelter for insects, nuts and seeds that will become next years' sprouts. These things then become food for more critters up the food chain like baby birds, rabbits, and their predators. It's amazing how a little leaf litter can foster a thriving ecosystem!

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Problems with too many leaves

• Humans - The majority of undesirable impacts  from yard waste effect only humans. Sometimes sticks, leaves, and dead stems may be considered untidy. Aside from these aesthetic problems, branches and leaves can clog drains and pipes, potentially causing flooding and drainage issues.

• Land Animals - Most terrestrial wildlife would actually benefit from the results leaf litter and dried stems. The circumstance in which this could become harmful is when there are chemicals, such as pesticides, or man made litter, like plastic bags, mixed in with the yard waste that could be ingested by an animal.

• Aquatic Animals - While leaf litter and fallen logs are natural and can certainly benefit a stream ecosystem, unnatural amounts of grass clippings, leaves from yards, piles of sticks and branches, or any excessive yard waste can cause problems. As the vegetation decays, it will release nutrients, which can lead to excess growth of algae and reduction of oxygen available to aquatic creatures. See the Spring Stormwater Tips page for more information about Harmful Algae Blooms. Chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, or insecticides applied to lawn clippings or other yard waste can also be toxic to aquatic organisms. 

• Soil & Plants - Decomposing plant material of any kind returns nutrients to the soil, which benefits the plants growing there. However, especially thick layers of leaves can also smother turf grass, leaving bare spots in the spring (you don't see grass growing on the forest floor!). While this is not an issue for nature, it may be considered unattractive depending on where it is in your yard.

1. LEAVE THE LEAVES -

• Lawns - Mulch your grass clipping and leaves back into the lawn with your mower. This returns nutrients back into your lawn, reducing the need for fertilizer and cleanup. If you don't like the look or have an especially thick layer of leaves, you can bag and compost them. Some communities offer leaf/yard waste pick up services.

• ​​Garden Beds - Leaf blowers may be great for driveways and sidewalks, but not garden beds. Like your lawn, leaf litter provides nutrients for next year's plants. It also provides food and shelter from cold winter temperatures for caterpillars, butterflies, moths, birds, and lots of other critters. It is sometimes advised to blow your leaves into your garden beds for the winter!

2. STACK STICKS & STEMS -

• Lawns - As you collect fallen sticks and branches before mowing, keep a pile somewhere in your yard. This will allow it to decompose and create valuable habitat for wildlife. If burning is permitted where you live, you can also use it as firewood.

• ​Landscape gardens - Many beneficial insects and birds rely on hollow stems and seed heads to get through the winter. By leaving the standing dead stems and stalks in your flower gardens until weather is steadily in the 50s during the day in spring, you not only create habitat over winter, but provide food for baby birds and other wildlife that will need it next year! If you just don't like the look of the dead stems in your garden, you can cut them and leave them bundled upright in a sheltered, outdoor location so they can still be used by wildlife.​

• Vegetable gardens - Just like in your flower gardens, plant material from your vegetables is habitat for insects to overwinter. However, it is best to completely clear your vegetable garden stems to reduce the chance that any veggie eating pests or weed seeds will get established and return next year.  It is a good idea to plant a cover crop in late fall once you have cleared your garden to keep your topsoil in place. ​

3. CLEAR DRAINS & DTICHES -

• ​If you have any drains around your property, it is important to keep them clear of leaves in the fall. Drainage ditches, culverts, and stormdrains can also become blocked by leaves and other yard waste. You can avoid stormwater backups and drainage issues by keeping these clear.

Resources

For Residents

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• Guide to Backyard Composting

• Stormwater Tip Card  

For Businesses & Property Managers

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• Follow our 3 fall yard maintenance tips on the Stormwater Tip Card

• Landscape maintenance: Managing Fall Leaves. Follow these tips or ask your landscape company to follow these best practices.

For Municipalities

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• Yard waste composting for municipalities

• Municipal composting of yard waste fact sheet

• Safety best practices for municipal leaf  & yard waste collection programs

• ​Starting a Community Backyard  Composting program

• Why mulching leaves in your parks makes sense for any municipality: See  time and cost savings stats, and watch a short video with Chris DePaoli, Foreman of Irvington Parks Department in NY.