Windbreaks for Rural Living

A well-designed windbreak around a home, acreage, ranch or farmstead shows wind and improves the overall environment. Windbreaks around homes conserve energy, provide snow control, improve working and recreational conditions, enhance wildlife populations, provide visual screening and dust control, protect livestock, and increase the production of various crop and food products.

Windbreaks provide the greatest benefits in areas with high winds, large amounts of snow, extreme temperature fluctuations or minimal natural forest cover. Traditionally, the most extensive use of windbreaks has been to protect rural homes in the northern regions of the United States. However, windbreaks used for privacy screens, dust control and noise reduction as well as wind protection are important throughout the country.