The University of Missouri has more than 6,000 trees on campus. When fall arrives, it takes the coordination of the entire groundskeeping team to manage an estimated several tons of leaves that cover campus walkways and grass.

“We start off with our blowers. We try to blow it up into a pile like I’ve already done, and then bring our leaf machines over there,” MU groundskeeper Andy Williams said.

The leaf machines use long vacuum tubes to suck the leaves into holding containers, which are then transported to the campus compost facility where they will be rotated regularly for a year until they can be used as mulch. Williams and his colleagues work through the fall to keep up with the flood of leaves. Extremely low temperatures result in an onslaught of falling leaves around campus.

“Luckily, you can work on these trees that drop, and then these trees will drop next week,” Williams said. “But when you get those hard freezes, like we had, it all drops and you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, crap.’”

This is far from a one-man operation. Leaf season, aside from snow removal, requires the most coordination among the groundskeepers according to MU Horticulture Manager Jenna Sommer. 

“Certain areas create these wind tunnels, so all the leaves kind of congregate around stairs, or handicap ramps and things like that,” Sommer said. “It’s a safety issue if you don’t pick them up.”

As campus groundskeeping works to maintain safe walkways and keep the leaves from suffocating the grass on campus lawns, they aren’t afraid to have a little fun along the way.

“I’ve had a couple of times where I’ve piled up a couple of [leaf] piles and kids were like, can I just jump in it one time? And I’m like, yeah, go ahead,” Williams said.

Edited by Sam Barrett | [email protected] 

Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy and Grace Knight | [email protected]