Annual Fall Leaf Pick-Up Program UPDATE 11.1.23

DATE:             November 1, 2023

CONTACT:     Todd Seymanski, City Forester

                      (406) 771-1265

ANNUAL FALL LEAF PICKUP PROGRAM - UPDATED

     GREAT FALLS, Montana – The 2023 Leaf Pick-Up Schedule posted on October 20, 2023 is no longer applicable. Leaf Pick-Up Schedule dated 11.1.23 is the up-do-date version. Due to the delay in schedule, and the fluidity of the weather the current posted schedule will be maintained and followed by the Forestry crew to the best of their abilities within a 24 hour time period, give or take; but is subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure, personnel availability or unforeseeable emergencies.  All schedule changes will be posted on https://greatfallsmt.net/news or the Park and Recreation Facebook page.

     There are changes to this year’s Leaf Pickup Schedule, so please take note and read this notice in its entirety.

     For those residing within the Boulevard District, the Natural Resources Division will vacuum leaves from the boulevards.

     There will be no manual raking done this year.  Please reference the following tips for leaf placement:

• Place your leaf piles within the boulevard, closest to the street side.  Do not place leaves towards the sidewalk or in the gutter.
• Do not place leaves around parked vehicles, as the new machines need a minimum of 2 feet clearance of any obstacle. 
• Do not place leaves around tree bases, signs, light poles, or any other obstacles.

      To avoid obstructing traffic or clogging storm drains, residents are being asked to deposit leaves on the boulevard next to the curb and not in the street gutter.  If you place leaf piles in the street gutter, rain, snow and vehicles driving on the piles make it impossible to pick up the leaves. Piles with branches, grass clippings, garden waste and pet waste cause damage to the equipment and will not be picked up. Please arrange for pickup of those items with your sanitation provider.  Please have your leaves raked out to the boulevard by 7 a.m. the morning of your scheduled pickup day.  If leaves are not ready when crews go through scheduled areas, the crews will not backtrack for collection in that same day.

      Under normal conditions the Forestry Division operates the annual Leaf Pickup Program with 3 operating crews, but due to being under staffed this year the program will be managed under 2 crews.  Due to this, if your residence is located on the left hand side of a one-way in any of the Areas, your residence will not follow the posted schedule.  These addresses will be picked up intermittently throughout the Leaf Pickup schedule, due to the complexity of the equipment. Please remove vehicles from the street and avenue on the scheduled pickup day to allow for vacuuming. Hours of Forestry crew operation are 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.

      For further information call the Park and Recreation office at 771-1265, and check the City website and the Park and Recreation Facebook page regularly for updates.