Natural Resources, School of

 

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

1-1-1996

Comments

Published by University of Nebraska Extension EC 96-1770-X. Copyright © 1996 University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Abstract

In areas of high winds and blowing snow, windbreaks can reduce the amount of effort spent on snow management. They can be designed to spread snow across a large area or to confine it to a relatively small storage area. The design of your windbreak will depend on your objective. Field windbreaks designed to distribute snow evenly across a field should be tall and porous. In contrast, windbreaks designed to capture snow and control drifting should have multiple rows with high density. There is no one set design, number of rows, or width of planting that is ideal for every circumstance. The design of your tree planting should be done with your needs and winter conditions in mind. In some cases, landowners may choose to relocate fences, driveways, or feedlots in order to take full advantage of their windbreak. Remember, a tree planting is a long-term investment and it pays to consider all alternative designs before installation.

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