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Giving Birth to Living Snow Fences

Giving Birth to Living Snow Fences. Richard Straight – USDA National Agroforestry Center a partnership of the USDA Forest Service & NRCS. and abuse. Structural snow fences have a long history of use… . Giving New Life to Old Snow Fences. Living Snowfence.

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Giving Birth to Living Snow Fences

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  1. Giving Birth to LivingSnow Fences Richard Straight – USDA National Agroforestry Center a partnership of the USDA Forest Service & NRCS 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  2. and abuse. Structural snow fences have a long history of use… 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  3. Giving New Life to Old Snow Fences 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  4. Living Snowfence • Designed plantings of trees, shrubs and/or native grasses planted at critical locations along roads or around portions of communities and farmsteads. • The purpose is to create a vegetative barrier that traps and controls blowing and drifting snow. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  5. Blowing Snow on Roadways: 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  6. Snow Drifting on Roadways: 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  7. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  8. Standing Corn in Winter: 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  9. 65% density 30% density Noticeable Snow Drift No Snow Drift Effects of Density on Snow Drifting 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  10. Wind Growth Stages Direction first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh Drift Growth -15 H 0 3 H 15 H 20 H 30 H 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  11. 200’ 1 Row East West, proper setbacks from east and south roads 200’ 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  12. Problem Drifts 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  13. Problem Drift Fix 250’+ Space for end rows 250’+ 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  14. “Snow Fence” 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  15. Problem Drift Fix 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  16. Utilized state wildlife habitat funds Nebraska LSF Program • Program began with a local Natural Resources District in the mid 1970s • County road departments • State highway departments 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  17. LSF Habitat Program Costs per Mile Planting Stock $0 Tree Planting $924 Site Preparation $0 Weed Control, in row $279 Weed Control, between row $228 Fence Construction $1,365 Total $/mile $2,796 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  18. Slatted Snow Fence Costs per mile Material $3,517 Labor $1,995 Equipment $ 884 Total cost/mi $6,396 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  19. Costs per Mile per Year Living No Habitat Program $7,114/mi 50 yrs = $142 Habitat Program $2,796/mi 50 yrs = $56 Slatted $6,396/mi 5 yrs = $1,297 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  20. Colorado Interagency Living Snow Fence Program • Began in 1982 • InvolvedDOT, DNR, Forest Service,Soil Conservation Board, Landowners • Primarily on state highways 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  21. New York LSF • Partnership of NYDOT, SWCD, NRCS • Utilizes willow trees and shrubs • Fast growth • Many species and varieties for many different site conditions • Biomass production 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  22. Beneficial Willow Characteristics • Rapid height growth • Can reach 15 ft or more in three to four years • Can be effective in as little as two years • Maintains good density from the ground to the top of the crown • Once established maintenance is minimal Measuring optical porosity on a living willow snowfence in Cortland County, NY 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  23. Iowa – Pheasants Forever 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  24. MN & ND LSF Programs • Focuses strongly on snow removal costs • Winter of 1996-97 was a major impetus • Utilizes FEMA dollars for disaster prevention 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  25. The Costs of Snow Removal(Minnesota) • 1992-1995 - State, County & Township budgets for snow removal averaged: ……….$113.5 million/year. • 1996-97 - Winter Season - Snow Removal Costs exceeded: ……….$220 million/year.. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  26. Example: Redwood Falls - • An 8 foot tall row of shrubs • Planted 544 feet • Collected over 21 tons of snow per lineal foot or over 11,400 tons of snow • With the cost of snow removal at $3.00 per ton • This living snow fence saves over $34,000 of snow removal expense. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  27. Benefits: • Snow / Wind Protection to communities, farmsteads and roadways. • Crop Protection & Yield Increases • Rural Beautification • Wildlife Habitat 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  28. LSF: Protecting more than roads. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  29. Environmental Benefits • Create bird habitat • Over 35 species of birds have been found nesting or visiting willow biomass crops • Early source of nectar for bees • Reduced use of fossil fuels and salt for snow removal • Carbon sequestration above and below ground in living hedges Wood thrush nesting in willow 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  30. Living Snowfence Benefits • Snowfences reduce snow removal costs by 30 – 50% • Improved visibility and road conditions • Safety benefits and additional cost saving by reducing accidents • Reduce road closures and associated costs Blowing snow creates hazardous conditions and increases snow removal costs. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  31. Living Snowfences • Effectiveness of living snowfences is determined by • Optical porosity • Height • Both characteristics are easily manipulated by selecting certain species and manipulating spacing 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  32. Living Snowfence Benefits • Living snowfences should be at the high end of the cost:benefit ratio range • Secondary benefits such as wildlife habitat, aesthetic appeal, carbon storage Five year old willow living snowfence in Cortland County, NY. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  33. Living Snowfence Benefits • Economic cost:benefit ratio of structural snow fences is 1:2 – 1:30 • Cost:benefit ratio of living snowfences is 1:6 to 1:80 due to • reduced installation costs • lower maintenance costs • longer lifespan • greater snow storage capacity Willow living snowfence established in 1993 in Cortland County, NY. 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

  34. Living Snow Fences are very Ful-filling • fill conservation needs • fill economic needs • fill environmental needs • fill safety needs 2005 Living Snowfence Workshop - Spokane, WA

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