Windbreak Technology

Provided by:

John Harringtonjoharrin@nmsu.edu

Mora Research CenterNew Mexico State University

General Benefits of Windbreaks

Wind Direction

Windbreak Design

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Windbreaks Alter Microclimate

Obstruction Filtration

Guidance Deflection

Windbreaks reduce wind speed

0

4

8

12

16

20

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Deciduous-open

Conifer-open

Conifer-multi

Distance (h)

Wind speed (m/h)

Excellent Protection Fair ProtectionMinimum Protection

Windbreaks alter windspeed- Caborn 1957

Dense composition

Loose Composition

Wind Flow through Windbreaks

Windbreaks- Geiger 1950

Very Dense

Dense

Loose

Windbreaks Trap Snow

0

1

2

3

4

-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Unpruned

Pruned

0

1

2

3

4

-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Unpruned

Pruned

Distance (m)

Snow Depth (m) Snow Depth (m)

1.5 m spacing 4.5 m spacing

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Windbreaks Alter Microclimate

10X the tree height

Windbreaks reduce heating costs

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 2 4 6 8 10

Wind Reduction (%)

Heating Reduction (%)

Air Infiltration Reduction (%)

Distance (h)

Reduction (%)

Windbreak placement can affect solar heating

Sound Attenuation/ Urban Forestry 1988

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Plant strips control wind erosion

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Sand Loamysand

Sandyloam

Loam Clay loam Silty clayloam

Width (m)

Width of Plant Strips (m)

Crop residue reduces wind erosion

0

4

8

12

16

20

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

Wheat-standing

Wheat-flat

Sorghum-standing

Sorghum-flat

Crop Residue (kg/ha)

Soil Erosion (kg/ha)

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Windbreaks increase crop yield

Crop• Alfalfa• Millet• Barley• Winter wheat• Hay• Rye• Corn• Spring wheat• Oats

Yield increase

99%

44%

25%

23%

20%

19%

12%

8%

6%

Windbreaks increase crop yield

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 5 10 15 20Distance (h)

Yield (% of normal)

Windbreaks compete with crop yield

0

400

800

1200

1600

2000

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Larix sibirica

Caragana

Distance (h)

Oats fresh weight (g/m2)

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Critical Windchill Factors for Livestock

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50

0 10 20 30 40

Temperature (oF)

Windspeed (mph)

Windchill (oF)

Danger Zone

Windbreaks protect livestock

Cows in good condition:• 10o↓ →↑ 13% energy

requirements

Cows on poor condition:• 10o↓ →↑ 30% energy

requirements

Milk production is a function of temperature

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 20 40 60 80 100

HolsteinJersey

Temperature (oF)

Milk Production (#/d)

Feed to produce hogs (no hair) is a function of temperature

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

100# 200#

Temperature (oF)

Feed Amount (#)

Windbreak Benefits

• Climate amelioration

• Home protection

• Soil protection

• Crop production

• Livestock protection

• Wildlife habitat

Wildlife Habitat/U.Mass. CES 1993

Windbreaks provide wildlife habitatBenefits:

AmenityRecreationHuntingUser Fees

Non-migrating bird species

Windbreaks--Conclusions

• Decrease home heating/cooling

• Decrease wind-induced soil erosion

• Increase crop yield (reduced water stress)

• Increase feed efficiency for livestock– Meat– Milk

• Improved wildlife habitat