Site Preparation in Renovating Shelterbelts
The effectiveness of many shelterbelts, especially those planted throughout the Great Plains during the 1930's and early 1940's, has been seriously reduced by grazing, sod encroachment, and loss of trees from drought, disease, insects, crowding, and suppression. Their effectiveness, however, can be restored or greatly improved by silviculture. Also, the changing concepts of shelterbelt design, improved farming practices, and increased land values have created a need for reducing the widths of some older plantings. This article describes a method and the equipment used to renovate a 23-year-old shelterbelt. Since few shelterbelts have been renovated, this information may help landowners who are planning similar work. It may also stimulate the development of more efficient methods and more suitable equipment for this much needed work in Plains forestry.
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Author(s): David F. Van Haverbeke
Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Issue 73 (1965)