Agroforestry Practices

Windbreaks

Windbreaks are planned and managed as part of a crop and/or livestock operation to enhance production, protect livestock, and control soil erosion. Field windbreaks protect a variety of wind- sensitive row, cereal, vegetable, orchard and vine crops, control wind erosion, and increase bee pollination and pesticide effectiveness.

Livestock windbreaks help reduce animal stress and mortality, reduce feed consumption, and help reduce visual impacts and odors. Living snowfences keep roads clean of drifting snow and increase driving safety. They can also spread snow evenly across a field, increasing spring soil moisture.

Windbreaks can also provide excellent habitat for quail, turkey, songbirds and other wildlife.

Learn more about windbreaks from the following UMCA resources, available for viewing or ordering from the Publications page:

• The Agroforestry 5-Practices DVD has a chapter featuring windbreaks, with successful Midwestern examples.
• The Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices, available for viewing or ordering from the Publications page, contains a chapter about windbreaks and an information resources list.
• Read about Center for Agroforestry windbreak research in the 2009 Research Highlights (PDF, 3.71 MB).