Wheatland County’s Shelterbelt and Ecobuffer Seedling program is now open for applications. The program works as a way to reintroduce an age-old way of preserving farmland through the use of shelterbelt trees and shrubs.

Shelterbelt trees have been used in the agriculture industry to create windbreaks, protect farmsteads, and prevent soil erosion.

Alyssa Robb, Wheatland County Environmental Coordinator says, “The purpose of the program is to help support our landowners as they plant trees and shrub seedlings on their properties. Our hope is that, by providing this incentive program, we help to replace aging shelterbelts and create new vegetated spaces, and increase the number of mature trees and shrubs that will help to beautify and provide environmental benefits to our county 20 years from now.”

The way the program works is that interested individuals submit an application to the county. Then if approved, the county pays a percentage for each tree or shrub that is purchased, for dip irrigation or materials. 

“Last year, the first year of the program, was a bit of an odd year due to the pandemic. This year we are releasing the full budget for the program and have already had plenty of interest. We are excited to allocate all of our available dollars to the planting of trees and shrubs all around the county this year, so we rely upon interested residents! We’re working to organize a tree planting webinar for program recipients to help improve the chances of success for new planting projects,” said Robb.

 She explained that planting trees and shrubs serve many purposes for farm sustainability.

 “Properly placed, they help to increase the energy efficiency of homes and farm buildings by buffering the impacts of weather. They increase pollinator habitat which aides in crop and forage growth and play an important role in decreasing soil erosion and crop damage where winds are strong.”

Robb says, “The presence of trees and shrubs helps to reduce standing water through plant root use, and they also act as a natural snow barrier to prevent drifting and improve moisture retention for the soil.”

The application form for the county’s Shelterbelt and Ecobuffer Seedling Program can be found here