Helpful Links click on title
Backyard Conservation is provided by NRCS. Learn what conservation practices you can implement at your urban or rural residence! Practices such as tree planting, mulching, composting and back yard wetland, and more can be found here. Learn how to build a backyard pond, or build a wildlife habitat in your backyard.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
National Association of Conservation Districts
S.D. Association of Conservation Districts
S.D. Dept of Environment & Natural Resources
How Windbreaks Work
As wind blows against a windbreak, air pressure builds up on the windward side (the side toward the wind), and large quantities of air move up and over the top or around the ends.
Windbreak Effectiveness
A windbreak’s effectiveness is determined by:
Height, Width, Density, Species Composition, Orientation, Length, and Continuity.
Windbreaks are most effective when oriented at right angles to prevailing winds.
The links below will open with Acrobat Reader.
Field Windbreaks
Windbreaks for Livestock
Windbreak Establishment
Windbreak Maintenance and Renovation
Windbreaks for Wildlife
Windbreaks and Snow Management
Trees and Energy
Windbreaks
Call before you dig! Use
South Dakota One Call to
locate underground utilities BEFORE you dig.
Following the One Call procedure works to reduce damages to underground infrastructure, helps to en-
sure public and worker safety, and protects the integrity of the utility services.
Additional Tree Information:
click on either title
"The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1937
Check out our District Newsletter on line:
Fabric Girdling ~
If you have fabric on your tree sites, you
need to walk along the site to check each
tree or shrub. If the fabric is too close
(girdling) to the tree, it will do harm and
can affect the growth of the tree. even kill it. An additional slit in the fabric needs to
be made to accommodate any new growth. This should be checked every year until the fabric is no longer viable. If you do not
have time to do this yourself, please
contact us, as we may be able to help you out. Also available is a Fabric Ripper for purchase. This is a great tool to reach under and pull the fabric away from the tree. We now offer "tree saver" fabric, a new product. This fabric was created to breakdown much faster than the original fabric, thus saving the labor of cutting slits in the future.
For Information about the Emerald Ash Borer click here