Windbreaks

Windbreaks are linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to provide economic, environmental and community benefits. The primary purpose of most windbreaks is to slow the wind which creates a more beneficial condition for soils, crops, livestock, wildlife and people. Windbreaks, sometimes called shelterbelts, can also function in ways not related to wind reduction. Non-wind related purposes include shade for livestock, visual screening, aesthetics, recreational opportunities, and wood and nontimber forest products. Windbreaks have also been recognized for their value in providing ecosystem services, which often extend beyond the farm. Benefits include enhancement of biodiversity, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, pollinator habitat, and soil and water quality protection.

Increasingly windbreaks are being designed to provide additional sources of income and products that can be used in the farm operation.

Windbreaks can be and often are designed to serve more than one purpose. However, windbreaks are not a one size fits all practice. The location, orientation to the wind, height, width, density and species selection all play a role in determining the benefits that the windbreak will provide.

There are several types of windbreaks. Field windbreaks protect a variety of wind-sensitive crops, control soil wind erosion, increase crop yields, and increase bee pollination and irrigation and pesticide effectiveness. Field windbreaks can also be designed to spread snow evenly across a field, increasing spring soil moisture. Livestock windbreaks help reduce mortality from cold weather, animal stress, and feed consumption, all of which lead to increased weight gain and milk production. Windbreaks also help reduce visual impacts, noise, and odors from livestock operations. Living snow fences keep roads clear of drifting snow and increase driving safety. Farmstead windbreaks reduce heating costs and improve outdoor working conditions.

Spruce windbreak with additional red-stemmed dogwoods planted along its edge with a pasture. — Adding specialty products like red-stemmed dogwood to a windbreak can provide an additional source of income for landowners. (USDA National Agroforestry Center photo)

Increasingly windbreaks are being designed to provide additional sources of income. Some trees and shrubs can produce fruits, nuts, fuel, fodder or materials for crafts that can be sold or processed in order to diversify farm income. In these cases the crop that is harvested from the trees and shrubs in a manner that does not impair the shelterbelt function. Careful design is required to reduce potential conflicts between management of the crop field and the windbreak.

Some other specialized windbreaks include pollinator habitat and field buffers for organic production. Pollinators can be supported by including a variety of plants that bloom at different times to provide food over a longer period of time. Native pollinators can also be supported by choosing plants that are used for bee nesting and merely by providing undisturbed soil for ground nesting bees. Shelterbelts can also be designed to intercept pesticides and chemical laden dust to protect organic production fields and active pollinators, both wild and domesticated.

Currently, significant work is being carried out by NAC and its partners to support windbreak inventory, establishment, and renovation. Windbreaks of the Great Plains is a Story Map that visually depicts the history, status, and opportunities of windbreaks in this region. Another web app, Trees Outside Forests Interactive Web Viewer, highlights agroforestry in the Northern Plains states including high-resolution tree cover maps.

A comprehensive synthesis of windbreak adoption in the U.S. by staff of the National Agroforestry Center found that producers use windbreaks primarily for indirect economic benefits (soil erosion control, livestock protection, wind protection and snow control). This was followed by direct agricultural benefits (increased crop and livestock production) and intrinsic values (aesthetics and wildlife habitat). Across the 32 windbreak studies in this review, which covered U.S. producer opinions from 1949-2020, windbreak satisfaction was incredibly high, ranging from 72-99%.

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