Why fallen leaves are a problem
The colour of trees turning in autumn can be glorious and we are blessed with many beautiful trees in Merchiston. But things aren’t so great when those leaves start piling up on the pavements and gutters. Some of us may slip on those soggy leaves. And possibly worse, the street drains get clogged up. Combined with heavy rainfall, this is a real recipe for flooding! And we know that flooding is a persistent problem in parts of Merchiston.
How we can work together
Sweeping up leaves from a small stretch of street isn’t too hard and if you can do this on your own, that’s great. But there are lots of stretches to cover. That’s why we need to come together as residents to tackle leaf litter. Doing it in a group is more effective and more fun.
Merchiston Community Council will help coordinate leaf clearing sessions throughout this autumn. The map shows our area of focus, in red, as it has particularly heavy leaf fall.
Our first weekend for leaf clearing is coming soon:
- Saturday 25th September: 10.00am – 12.00pm
- Sunday 26th September: 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Please come along and join us. Meet at Abbotsford Court, South Ettrick Road entrance. We will provide all the equipment required for clearing (brushes, rakes, bin bags, gloves etc), but do make sure you have clothes and footwear appropriate for the task and for the weather.
What if I want to clear leaves at another time?
If you want to organise your own leaf clearing session with family and friends, go for it! We can help by lending you equipment. We will also be scheduling more group sessions throughout autumn and will advertise these here and on social media.
To receive information about how to borrow equipment, or to be notified of future group sessions, send us an email with your details — name, address and phone number.
Isn’t it the Council’s responsibility to deal with leaf litter?
Sadly, the City of Edinburgh Council is no longer able to provide a comprehensive leaf clearing service. However, they will be providing all the equipment needed to support our initiative and, importantly, remove the bags of leaves.
The proposed scheme takes account of the Grange Association’s highly successful leaf clearing initiative which has been operating in the Grange since 2018.