Every township in our service area runs its own leaf collection program — different calendars, different curb rules, different fines for getting it wrong. This page keeps the essentials in one place, in plain English, with links to each township's official information.
Schedules change every year. The notes below describe how each program generally works; exact dates and zone maps are published by each township each season. Always confirm current-year details at the official link before staging leaves at the curb. Spot something out of date? Let us know and we'll fix it.
| Township / Area | Curbside leaf collection | Typical season | Curb rules & tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford Township (Manahawkin, Ocean Acres, Beach Haven West, Cedar Run, Mayetta) staffordnj.gov | Seasonal municipal leaf collection passes through residential zones. | Generally late October through December — confirm current-year zone schedule. | Loose leaves raked to the curb line (not into the street), free of branches and debris, clear of storm drains, hydrants and mailboxes. Piles placed after your zone’s pass may sit until the next one — or use haul-away. |
| Barnegat Township barnegat.net | Township leaf collection program on its own calendar; some sections/communities differ. | Generally late fall — confirm current-year schedule and any bagging requirements. | Rules differ from Stafford’s — check whether loose piles or biodegradable bags are required in your section before raking to the curb. 55+ communities may have their own HOA arrangements on top of township service. |
| Tuckerton Borough tuckertonborough.com | Borough yard-waste/leaf collection for residents. | Fall collection period announced by the borough each year. | Small borough = smaller crews and stricter timing; leaves out early or late may wait. Keep piles compact and free of brush, and confirm whether bagging is required. |
| Ocean Township (Waretown) twpoceannj.gov | Township leaf/yard-waste collection for residents. | Announced seasonally — confirm current-year dates on the township site. | Waretown-area addresses: confirm whether loose piles or bags are required in your section, and keep piles clear of the Route 9 drainage swales. |
| Lacey Township (Forked River, Lanoka Harbor) laceytownship.org | Township leaf collection program on its own calendar. | Generally late fall — confirm current-year schedule by section. | Rules and timing differ from Stafford’s; lagoon-section residents should stage piles away from bulkheads and storm drains. |
| Little Egg Harbor Township leht.com | Township brush/leaf collection program. | Announced seasonally — confirm on the township site. | Serving Tuckerton-adjacent addresses outside the borough line. Confirm your section’s dates and whether leaves must be separated from brush. |
Rules that apply almost everywhere
- Keep piles off storm drains. Blocked inlets cause the street flooding our area sees in every big fall rain — and can draw a violation.
- No branches mixed in. Leaf equipment jams on brush; mixed piles are routinely skipped. Brush usually has its own collection or drop-off.
- Don't park on the pile. Crews can't collect what a car is sitting on, and dry leaf piles under hot exhaust systems are a genuine fire hazard.
- Landfilling leaves is prohibited statewide. New Jersey requires leaves to be recycled/composted — which is where hauled-away leaves from our crews go too.
When the schedule doesn't cooperate
The most common mismatch in this region: the township's final pass happens before the oaks finish dropping in December. If you're staring at a fresh leaf layer and an expired collection calendar, that's exactly what private haul-away & disposal is for — same-day removal on your schedule, disposed of properly.
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