Do you need a shelterbelt?

Are you looking to protect your home, field or farmyard from strong winds? Create an oasis in harsher climates? Try planting a shelterbelt (also known as a windbreak): a barrier created by a line of trees or shrubs.

Shelterbelt © TreeTime.ca 2003-2018
Shelterbelt © TreeTime.ca 2003-2018

Field shelterbelt benefits:

  • increase crop yields – Micro-wildlife can increase yields by 20 to 30 per cent for the first 150 metres from your shelterbelt. Pollinators also tend to attract birds, which provide free fertilizer to your area.
  • reduce wind damage to crops – Mechanical damage can lead to increased crop disease and lodging.
  • increase snow catchment – Shelterbelts help keep snow on your fields so you have good moisture in the spring.
  • reduce moisture loss – Shade provided by shelterbelts helps keep the sun from baking your crops.
  • increase land value – A shelterbelt increases the value and appeal of your land.
Lilacs © TreeTime.ca 2003-2018
Lilacs © TreeTime.ca 2003-2018

Farmyard shelterbelt benefits:

  • increase privacy – Shelterbelts are a visually appealing way to increase the privacy in your yard.
  • reduce unpleasant smells – Shelterbelts planted around feedlots and pig and poultry farms can protect nearby neighbours from wafting odours.
  • reduce wind damage to animals – Cattle, and other four-legged friends can lose 30
    per cent of their weight over a hard winter without adequate protection from the elements. Shelterbelts help cattle keep their weight, as they don’t have to redirect resources to survive. 
  • reduce drifting snow – A shelterbelt can help keep snow from accumulating where you don’t want it.
  • lower your heating bills, and keep you cool – A well-placed shelterbelt can lower the heating requirements for your buildings, and also help keep your home cool in the summer. They grow leaves to shade the house and drop them to let the sun in.
  • wildlife habitat – Shelterbelts act as travel lanes for many animals and provide cover from predators and weather.

No matter what your needs, TreeTime.ca has a diverse variety of quality trees and shrubs at low prices. We offer free shipping on all orders over $100 to almost everywhere in Canada and low price shipping for remote locations and orders less than $100.

Not sure where to start? Contact TreeTime.ca and our staff will be happy to point you in the right direction. You may also be interested in our article about shelterbelt planning.

Happy planting!