Across the prairies and fields of South Dakota, shelterbelts play an important role in providing wind protection to farmsteads, fields, livestock, and wildlife. These groves of trees aid in caring for our natural resources by slowing erosion and storing water.

Many of the shelterbelts in the area have degraded plant health due to age, disease, and extreme weather conditions. NRCS is encouraging landowners to take an inventory of plant health within the shelterbelts to assess whether action is needed.

As a landowner there are options to rejuvenate the health of these shelterbelts. Natural...