Forked River leaf removal & yard cleanup

Part of Lacey Township, Forked River is the main village of Lacey Township, on the Route 9 corridor.

Housing stock. A broad mix of post-war homes, lagoon-side properties and newer inland developments.

Tree cover. Heavy oak inland, thinning noticeably toward the lagoons and the bay.

Forked River contains both profiles in the coverage area at once — heavily wooded inland lots a few minutes from lagoon streets with almost no canopy of their own. The lagoon properties still fill, because the leaves arrive on the wind and stop at the first fence or bulkhead they meet, which is the same pattern seen in Beach Haven West.

Working here. Good access inland; tighter on the lagoon streets where lots narrow.

Around Forked River. The work comes from the lagoon streets east of Route 9; the older village blocks; the developments toward the parkway.

On cost here. Inland lots price on volume; lagoon lots price on access and hand work.

One village, two entirely different leaf jobs, separated by about a mile.

Lagoon-side properties get leaves they did not grow, which surprises new owners every autumn.

Lacey wants leaves in biodegradable brown paper bags or containers no bigger than 32 gallons, with no branches and no acorns mixed in — which on an oak street is a rule with teeth. Collection runs in cycles rather than on fixed dates and each takes Public Works about a fortnight to work through. Miss the pass and they do not come back until the next cycle starts. The township Recycling Center does take leaves year-round.

Leaf removal and yard cleanup need no permit in Lacey Township. What matters locally is the township's curbside collection calendar, which sets when piles may go out. New Jersey requires contractors performing home improvement work to be registered, and registration is confirmed against the state register before any crew is referred. Insurance is not part of that check, so ask any crew for a current certificate of insurance before work begins.