Thankful for Community Conservation

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In this time of being thankful, it is so important to remember that a community is maintained through a whole community effort. Every person has a role and a responsibility to look out for our neighbors, both big and small. Conservation is working towards a better tomorrow of land, waste, infrastructure, air, ecosystem, and water quality management.  We are all partners in this mission.

If nothing else, be thankful that Wayne County is made up of a wonderful place of much of the beauty available on this earth. It is made up of hard-working people that love what they do, their neighbors, and their community.

Thank you for giving Wayne County Soil & Water Conservation some of your valuable time to learn more about your community and events that offer continued growth and knowledge of the natural resources around you! May you and your loved ones have much to be thankful for and be blessed from above!

With yours,  and well-wishes ~ Lindsey

Lindsey M. Gerstenslager, District Manager

Wayne County Soil & Water Conservation District

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Windbreaks and Privacy Row – Tree Sale

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Diagram showing a windbreak and relationship between windbreak height and the subsequent impact on wind velocity (from: Tree Windbreaks for Farms and Homes, Purdue University Extension).

The Tree and Shrub Sale offers great stock if you are planning a windbreak or privacy row. Start with at least 3-4 rows. The Norway Spruce is excellent and is a fast growing (2-3’ per year) it can grow up to 5 ft a year in a good weather year, another conifer for the tall row is Douglas Fir. For the medium row, Eastern White Pine or White Spruce, for low row, a mixture of shrubs like Lilac or Hazelnut.

Tree and shrub windbreaks are valuable conservation tools with many functions:
🌲Reduced soil erosion — Windbreaks prevent wind erosion for 10 to 20 times their height downwind. They also filter wind-blown soil particles from the air.
🌲Energy conservation — Windbreaks can reduce winter heating costs 20 to 40% by reducing cold air infiltration into buildings. In summer water evaporation from leaves directly cools the air. Windbreaks can be designed to provide energy savings for a small residential lot, a farmstead, or an entire housing development.
🌲Wildlife habitat — In open areas where windbreaks are needed for wind reduction, they may also provide the only woody cover and food necessary for some wildlife species.
🌲Beauty — Trees provide visual screening and permanence in the landscape that other types of plants can not.
🌲Crop protection — Windbreaks can increase crop yields up to 44%. Wind protection reduces crop water use, increases a plant’s ability to make food, and may increase pollination. Quality of fruit and other high value crops can be increased due to reduced sand and soil abrasion.
🌲Snow control — Windbreaks can serve as “living snowfences”, controlling drifts near roads, buildings, or livestock or distributing snow evenly over large areas like
crop fields. Money and energy are saved by reduced need for snow plowing and artificial snow fences.
🌲Livestock protection —Windbreaks can be used as“outdoor barns,” sheltered areas for feeding, calving, and other livestock-related activities.
For questions or design ideas, call 315-946-7200 or email drew@waynenyswcd.org
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Forever Green Tree & Shrub Sale

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Think Spring! The District’s Forever Green Tree and Shrub sale is under way. Order online, mail a check or call the office at 315-946-7200. Orders with payment are due by March 10. 2023 with pickup dates in April.

The District offers varieties of low-cost bare root seedlings and transplants, conifers, deciduous trees, bushes and shrubs, fruit plants, conservation packs, habitat boxes, and other products. All plants are grown by private commercial nurseries, these plants provide an economical source of conservation landscaping materials, windbreaks, and quantities for reforesting.

Offering these trees, shrubs and plants helps support conservation planting projects, wildlife enhancement, erosion control and windbreak development needs throughout the area. Download a catalog or order online by clicking here.

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We’re Rooting for you Mark! – Finalist for AEM-Leopold Conservation Award!

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The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets announced the three finalists have been selected for New York’s AEM-Leopold Conservation Award!

Dygert Farms Creamery (Montgomery County, NY), Humbert Farms (Wayne County), and Tongore Farm, Olivebridge, NY. (Ulster County)

All three family operations that demonstrate exemplary commitment to agriculture conservation. Their dedication and leadership implementing conservation practices not only help provide economic and environmental benefits to their farm but also to the communities in which they farm, protecting the valuable land and water resources of New York State.

Congratulations to these finalists for what is already a tremendous accolade, and look forward to continuing our celebrations when we we join with the Sand County Foundation to award the AEM-Leopold Conservation Award later this year!

We’re rooting for you Mark Humbert!

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