An agroforestry practice This presentation was developed by the USDA National Agroforestry Center

Presentation Objectives  Define windbreaks  Describe the benefits and types  Recognize basic design considerations 2 Windbreaks

What is Agroforestry? …the intentional combining of agriculture and working trees to create sustainable farming systems. Silvopasture Alley cropping Windbreaks Forest farming Riparianbuffer Riparian buffer 3 Windbreaks

What is a windbreak?  Plantings of single or multiple rows of vegetation (trees, shrubs, grass) that are established for one or more environmental and economic purposes. 4 Windbreaks

What are the benefits?  Reduce soil erosion  Protect plants  Enhance plant growth  Manage snow  Provide shelter  Reduce energy needs  Improve wildlife habitat  Enhance aesthetics  Moderate noise  Screen views  Reduce airborne chemical drift  Improve irrigation efficiency  Increase carbon storage  Mitigate odors 5 Windbreaks

Trap/filter air borne: Sediment Snow Nutrients Pesticides Pathogens VOCs Modify: Air flow Sound waves Odor plumes Microclimate dynamics How does a windbreak work? 6 Windbreaks

What are the effects? Windbreaks:  lower wind velocity causing air-borne material to be deposited  physically trap air-borne material  adsorb some of the chemicals attached to air-borne material  alter the microclimate on the downwind side of the windbreak 7 Windbreaks

How can air flow patterns be modified? Modification of the wind depends upon six key windbreak features:  Height  Density  Orientation  Length  Width  Continuity 8 Windbreaks

Why is height important? H H 10H to 15H 9 Windbreaks  H = Effective height of the windbreak  The height determines the distance of the downwind sheltered (protection) zone

Why is density important?  Dense: maximum wind reduction but short wind shadow  Moderately dense: less wind reduction but longer wind shadow 10 Windbreaks

Why is orientation important? Location or layout:  Directly influences area protected  Effects vary with critical weather periods and wind directions 11 Wind Rose Windbreaks

Why is length important?  For full protection, the windbreak needs to extend the entire length of the area needing protection to account for changing wind directions.  Doubling the length of a windbreak will generally increase the area protected by 4 times 12 Windbreak protected area Windbreaks

Why is width important? Width influences:  Density  Wildlife values  Trapping capacity and efficiency 13 Windbreaks

Why is continuity important?  Wind speed increases in a gap  Gaps in the windbreak can result in damage or complications downwind 14 (% of open wind speed) Windbreaks

15 Types of windbreaks Windbreaks

16 Types of windbreaks: field Windbreaks

17 Types of windbreaks: farmstead Windbreaks

18 Types of windbreaks: livestock Windbreaks

19 Types of windbreaks: specialty Windbreaks Irrigation efficiency Odor Dust Living Snow Fence

Multi-purpose windbreaks  Bio-energy feedstock  Food security  Wildlife  Income products 20

Summary  Windbreaks are an agroforestry practice  Windbreaks provide multi-functional benefits  Windbreaks can be designed to meet site needs and land owner objectives 21 Windbreaks

For Additional Information A number of web sites are available to provide more detailed information on windbreaks. Here are a few:  USDA National Agroforestry Center  The Center for Agroforestry  Association for Temperate Agroforestry  USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windbreaks

Acknowledgements This presentation was developed by the USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC), Lincoln NE. NAC is a USDA partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C or call (202) (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer." "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C or call (202) (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer." National Agroforestry Center A partnership of: 23