Your crops depend on balance – both in your farm practices and in the surrounding habitat. But outside forces like weather patterns and surrounding land use can impact the productivity and efficiency of your operation.
Did you know there’s a simple way to promote productivity and protect the local habitat?
Why a tree buffer?
A streamside buffer, or tree buffer, is an intentional planting of trees and shrubs along a waterway to protect it from erosion and pollution.
These plantings are a link between land and water and a “living filter” for surface and subsurface water leaving upslope areas. They serve as a safeguard between the water and upland habitats like farm fields.
A tree buffer is a great option for land protection:
- It’s natural
- It’s cost-effective
- It’s long lasting
Other farming best practices may last between 5 and 15 years. Tree buffers are a farming best practice that only gets better with age.
Plant your own tree buffer
To get started, consider these three steps:
- Ask an expert - A local specialist can help you with a customized plan to best fit your operation, help with funding opportunities and explore additional support.
- Pick your plants - Native trees and plants are great choices because they’re easier to care for in the local climate and provide a source of food and shelter for local wildlife.
- Measure - When planting, plan for at least 35 feet of space between the high-water line and your farm field edge.
With a tree buffer, you can:
- Increase productivity – Healthy adjacent farmland can lead to higher yields and less optimizing inputs.
- Improve local habitats – Vegetation provides shade, food and shelter for insects, fish and amphibians, as well as beneficial wildlife and pollinators.
- Protect the land - Reduced flooding can help protect nearby crops and increase property values.
Your operation can be productive and protected with a streamside buffer.
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Read More Related Articles Here:
-Streamside Buffers Help You Do More
-Healthy Waterways Serve Everyone
-3 Steps to Planting a Tree Buffer
