Good snow fences make good neighbors

Traditional snow fences are designed to permit 40 to 60 percent air flow, slowing the wind and piling the snow safely downwind.  In this way they protect driveways, buildings and the road in front of the house.  As our conservation ethic develops and we adopt more sustainable practices, living snow fences are becoming a more prevalent feature on the Iowa landscape.  Typically these plantings include rows of trees and shrubs.  These slow down wind and, if properly located, cause snow to drop where it is less trouble.

Prairie grasses perform a similar function.  Instead of creating drifts somewhere downwind, a stand of tall grass twenty feet wide will actually trap the snow and hold it within the planting.  This snow-trapping ability increases the storage capacity of a ditch.

Native prairie grasses are an attractive addition to farmsteads and field borders.  Because these grasses remain largely upright, they protect wildlife from winter cold and provide nesting cover in the spring.