The priority here is road safety. On the streets, sidewalks and squares where the SRB cleans all year round for a fee, the SRB also removes leaves in the fall.

Wherever residents have to clean their own sidewalks, leaves must be disposed of privately and at their own expense, regardless of where they come from or where they blow: leaves that fall onto the sidewalk from municipal trees or neighboring properties must also be disposed of by the responsible residents. These leaves must not be swept into the gutter or disposed of in public green spaces.

But where to put all the leaves? For example, into the organic waste garbage can or into the SRB leaf bag, which is available for 2 euros at the Bürger-Centern Salzgitter-Bad and Lebenstedt as well as at the SRB. The leaf bags can be placed next to the organic waste garbage can for collection on the day it is emptied. The disposal fee is paid when the leaf bag is purchased.

Leaves can also be taken to the collection point at the Diebesstieg waste disposal facility for a fee by making an appointment online at www.entsorgungszentrum.de. The delivery of lawn, tree and shrub cuttings as well as leaves up to a quantity of 200 kilograms costs a flat rate of 7 euros for a volume of 1 cubic meter (up to 200 kg) and 14 euros for a volume over 1 cubic meter (up to 200 kg). 85 cents per 10 kilograms are charged for deliveries over 200 kilograms.

Another option for garden owners is to make their own compost, which is an excellent and natural soil conditioner that closes the biological nutrient cycle and improves soil quality in the long term. Piles of leaves also provide important hibernation sites for hedgehogs and other useful animals.

In general, trees enrich the cityscape, produce oxygen and contribute to climate regulation. They provide a rich habitat for other species, filter dust and particles from the air and are the "green lungs" of our cities. Due to their many positive properties, trees therefore deserve special attention and protection.

For these reasons, the SRB does not prune healthy trees or reduce their height so that they shed less foliage. This is because these measures are by no means sustainable, as heavy pruning in turn causes heavy new growth and healthy trees can also be damaged by pruning and pose a risk of accidents.