06

SHELTERBELTS AND WINDBREAKS:

KNOWLEDGE GAP

PRINCIPLES FOR INSTALLATION

CLOSING THE

The importance of species selection, installation and management

THE WHAT AND WHY

Trees
Tree elements for Species Advantages Disadvantages
wind protection Populus spp Well adapted to riparian areas Deciduous tree, ineffective
Wind can affect crops and animals, by directly or for wind protection in winter
unless shrubs are combined
indirectly acting on mechanical or physiological
processes related to microclimate and soil. There Alnus spp e Salix Suitable for riparian and row Some species are not adapted
are several tree elements that, when correctly spp afforestation to dry soils
Can be used in pollarding and
planed, allow the reduction of these effects. At the coppice
landscape level, most of the time they are used Good for secondary windbreaks
in combination with each other to reduce wind together with Populus spp

damage. According to their structure three types of

green barriers may be considered (Pavari 1961): Platanus spp Vigorous growth Deciduous tree, ineffective
Dense canopy in winter for wind protection
1) shelterbelts - strips of wide multiple rows of trees unless shrubs are combined
or shrubs; Not adapted to very humid
soils
2) windbreaks - afforestation with single or multiple
rows of trees (up to 4 or 6 maximum);
3) single hedges - single linear elements for the Robinia Fast growth Becomes invasive due to root
pseudoacacia Dense canopy shoots (suckering)
immediate protection of crops, composed by trees, Grows well from the coppiced stump
shrubs or other. Quality wood
Good for honey bees
Very useful in slope areas with a
tendency to erode
High protein content to feed animals
HOW IS THE CHALLENGE ADDRESSED

Species selection Ulmus pumila Adapted to several types of soil

Fast growth and dense canopy
Ill adapted to low
temperatures
and installation Used as natural trellises in vineyards

Choosing the right woody plants to include in

Eucalyptus spp Fast growth There are some current
shelterbelts or windbreaks requires careful and Well adapted to several government restrictions to
timely assessment of the ecological needs, of the environments planting
structure required, the climate, soil, crops and
other elements on the farm. Regardless of location P. pinea Well adapted to Mediterranean P. pinaster should be used in
or conditions, there are some vital principles that P. halepensis areas multiple rows instead of single
P. pinaster Do well in shallow soils lines
ensure success. Windbreaks and shelterbelts should: Do well with high summer
• Provide protection from prevailing winds. temperatures
• Include a minimum of two or three rows of trees
and/or shrubs, planted at spacing that meets the P. radiata Suitable for dense rows Does not adapt to arid
Good income source in short climates
maintenance objectives. rotations (15 to 20 years)
• Be designed so that the width between the outside
stems does not exceed the tree height. Cupressus Fast growth
sempervirens Root system not invasive in the first
• Be installed after guaranteeing that the site few decades
preparation ensures high rooting success and high Well adapted to cold climates
initial growth, good soil drainage and respiration.
This may be achieved through tillage, summer C. macrocarpa Very fast growth Not adapted to low
temperatures or limestone or
fallowing, subsoiling, terracing, contour planting, clay soils
fertilizing, etc., according to local conditions. Does not last long
• Include beating up practices (replacing dead
C. arizonia More resilient than macrocarpa Sensitive to ice
trees after planting), as early as possible, following Hybridizes easily with glabra and
the year of planting. lusitanica, and other species, its 1st
generation hybrids are very vigorous
• Be monitored to guarantee the necessary tree
thinning, pruning and cutting operations. C. glabra and Very fast growth Less resilient than C. arizonia
• Be monitored to guarantee that after they C. lusitanica

reach maturity and gaps start appearing, tree

Some species of trees suitable for windbreaks and shelterbelts
replanting is carried out.

This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 727872.
Keywords: Hedgerows, wind protection, eurafagroforestry.eu/afinet
hedgerow installation, hedgerow
management, trees, shrubs
 HIGHLIGHTS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

• Windbreaks and shelterbelts are fundamental in

Of the presence of shelterbelts
minimizing the unpleasant effects of wind upon and windbreaks
crops, livestock and property.
Advantages

• Their function depends on factors including height, • Helps to regulate the microclimate of adjacent areas, where
crops and animals are present.
length, thickness and density.
• Protects crops from heavy winds (e.g. reduces the frequency of
• In order to maximize their wind protection function, wind damage to crop leaves).

it is essential to ensure suitable species selection, • Prevents some seeds from blowing away.
good installation and management. • Reduces soil erosion.
• Benefits animal husbandry (e.g. improves the quality of animal
• Shelterbelts and windbreaks have a multitude life, reduces energy losses, increases the accessibility of tree
of advantages and their disadvantages can fodder).
be overcome by clever choice of crops for their • Enhances biodiversity, providing habitat for wildlife and shelter
adjacent areas. for beneficial insects and birds and reducing the need for
pesticide use, effectively becoming an important integrated
pest management tool.
• They are carbon sinks.

Shrubs Disadvantages
• Improper installation and management of windbreaks or
Species Advantages Disadvantages
shelterbelts can have the opposite effect on crops, livestock
Tamarix Well adapted to saline soils and property, so it is essential to ensure good management
galica and salty wind and installation!
T. africana
• Windbreak and shelterbelt root systems may be a problem if
T. articulata Unlike other Tamarix species they became invasive, and with time and the increase of light
it is perennial competition, they can reduce crop yields.
It can be used in
combination with vegetable
gardens and orchards (due
to non-invasive root system)
Casuarina spp Non-invasive root systems Not adapted
Fast growth to harsh
winters
Not adapted
to hot climates
Myosporum Quickly forms a dense barrier
spp Perennial
Well adapted to salty winds
and the coast
Well adapted to warm
climates
Non-invasive root systems
Easily multiplied by cuttings
Ulex Quickly forms a dense barrier
europaeus Perennial
Well adapted to acid soils
Two stages on the development of an hedge with Stone pine
Enriches soil with nitrogen and Cypress (distance is in meters).
Fast growth Pavari, A. (1961).

Some species of shrubs suitable for windbreaks and shelterbelts.

JOANA AMARAL PAULO (joanaap@isa.ulisboa.pt) and RAQUEL ALMEIDA Further information

Instituto Superior de Agronomia Cornelis, W.M, & Gabriels, D. (2005). Optimal windbreak design for wind -erosion control.

Content editor: Maria Rosa Mosquera-Losada (USC) Journal of Arid Environments, 61 pp. 315-332.
APRIL , 2019 Greb, B.W., & Black , A.L. (1961) Effects of Windbreak Plantings on Adjacent Crops. Journal of
Soil and Water Conservation, 16(5), pp 223-227.

Pavari, A. (1961) Q uebra-Ventos. Nova biblioteca de instrução profissional. Livraria Bertrand.

Lisboa . 181 pp. (in Portuguese) https://zenodo.org/record/2650108#.XMBhHmhK i70
This leaflet is produced as part of the
AFINET project. Whilst the author has
worked on the
best information available,
neither the author nor the EU shall in any event be liable for any Stoeckeler, J.H., & Williams, R.A. (1949). Windbreaks and Shelterbelts. Yearbook of Agriculture,pp.
loss, damage or injury incurred directly or indirectly in relation to the report. 191-199.