NATIVE COUNTRY WINDBREAKS

07 Jul 2022

Ideally, windbreaks should comprise both tall and medium-height trees with lower-level shrubs, giving the natural planting both height and density.

Wind randomly blowing across a field doesn’t act how it is expected to; so, planting a multi-level windbreak works to guide it over or around the vital structures that need to be protected, lessening its direct impact. A multi-level planting strategy gives the windbreak density making it more steadfast in the face of intense wind.

When considering where to plant a windbreak, consider the areas that need shelter, the topography of the property, and the direction of prevailing winds - those that could cause the greatest damage.

Planting along a fence-line, which is often the case on farms and less built-up residential areas, windbreaks give both structural protection from winds and visual protection from neighbours. To work best they should consist of between two and five rows of considered planting, but no less than two rows.

For farmlets, Speciality Trees recommend 3 rows where tall trees are planted 5m apart on each side of a lower planting of smaller trees and shrubs spaced 2-3m apart. Looking at the mature windbreak planting front-on, look for a mix of heights between rows of taller trees that act as pillars on either side.

Species choice is important and ideally should be a native common to the area or evergreen exotic selections that have shown to suit the temperature and climatic conditions of your immediate area. Utilising species with a diverse range of various heights will create dense foliage coverage from ground level to treetops, corralling that problematic, destructive wind away from structures and livestock.

If there is horses or livestock on the property, it is also widespread practice to have another fence separating the animals from the windbreak trees and shrubs to both assist with tree establishment, and as a preventative measure to ensure livestock do not ingest something they shouldn’t.

Allocasuarina torulosa

Finally, it is recommended that the length of the windbreak be 10 times the height of the tallest tree used in the windbreak. So, if the tallest tree selection is Eucalyptus leucoxylon megalocarpa at 8m tall (fully mature), the length of the windbreak to protect the property should be approximately 80m long. This ensures there is scope for the wind to safely travel around the structures that need to be protected.

Speciality Trees has included some suggestions for trees that we feel work well for the creation of a native farm windbreak.