As you drive around the countryside of North Platte, you will begin to notice in the midst of Sandhills and cornfields, random lines of trees surrounding properties. As you pass by these properties however, the land opens up again and all that can be seen is rolling hills and the open horizon for miles and miles until you drive by the next property. This pattern will continue for hours.
These trees are purposefully planted and are more than just a line of trees. These "random lines of trees surrounding property" are called windbreaks. These windbreaks are vital to protecting property and livestock in Nebraska and many other states. TPNRD's Conservation Programs Coordinator, Dave Slattery, spends his winters designing and planning these windbreaks for those who have requested them in the TPNRD.
TPNRD has certified contractors, such as Jaegear Enterprises Inc. who machine plants these rows with her crew, planting hundreds of trees all in a matter of 15-30 minutes. Water Conservation Mulch is utilized in planting these windbreaks as a weed barrier and is also used to keep the soil profile moist within the root zone of the newly planted trees.
Windbreaks protect buildings and livestock from harsh cross winds and extremely cold weather. Planning a windbreak is a science, as each tree type, numbers of rows, height of trees, distance between row, and location of the rows all play a huge part in the level of protection a property or livestock will receive. Planting rows too close together can enable diseases to form, which if not taken care of quickly, can wipe out a whole row or possibly an entire windbreak. Windbreaks are promoted by the TPNRD and all remaining NRD's around the State of Nebraska.
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