Catching the Snow with Living Snow Fences Dan Gullickson, urban and community forester Minnesota Department of Transportation, and task force chair Scott J. Josiah, former research associate Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management at the University of Minnesota Paul Flynn,NRCS State Staff Forester, United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service Copyright ©  2002  Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Living snow fences are a low-cost solution to prevent problems from drifting snow. Strategically placed and properly designed, these living barriers trap snow as it blows across fields, piling it up before it reaches a road, waterway, farmstead or community.

"Catching the Snow With Living Snow Fences" is a technical guidebook that provides information necessary for the proper design, installation and maintenance of living snow fences and community shelterbelts. This 140-page guidebook comes conveniently packaged 3-ring notebook and includes a CD-ROM for selecting plant materical.

"Catch the Snow With Living Snow Fences" was produced by the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the Minnesota Department of Transportation under the direction of the Minnesota Interagency Task Force on Living Snow Fences.

Contents
Foreword       *Available Online*	1
Chapter One       *Available Online*	3
Living Snow Fences-A Low-cost Solution	3
Chapter Two       *Available Online*	7
Planning a Living Snow Fence Program	7
Identifying Problems and Opportunities	7
Mobilizing the Community	15
Linking with Landowners	17
Incorporating Sustainability	18
Chapter Three	21
Designing Living Snow Fences	21
How Living Snow Fences Work	21
Assessing Site-specific Considerations	26
Determining Size and Placement	28
Choosing Species	44
Winning Combinations	47
Using the Guidelines: Clarifying Examples	53
Chapter Four	59
Establishing Living Snow Fences	59
Preparing the Site	59
Controlling Weeds and Grasses	60
Planting Trees and Shrubs on CroplandÑa Special Case	61
Mechanical Weed Control	61
Chemical Weed Control	62
Herbicide Carry-Over	64
Mowing	64
Organic Mulches	64
Landscape Fabric	65
Laying Out the Planting	66
Selecting Plant Material	66
Planting Trees and Shrubs	67
General Guide for Establishing Trees and Shrubs on Tilled Ground	68
Year 1 (year prior to planting living snow fence)	68
Year 2	68
Year 3	70
Chapter Five	71
Maintaining and Managing Living Snow Fences	71
Protecting from Wind	71
Protecting from Animals	71
Protecting from Fire	72
Fertilizing and Watering	72
Protecting from Insects and Disease	73
Replanting	74
Pruning	74
Chapter Six	77
Wildlife Considerations	77
Chapter Seven	83
Establishing Native Grasses and Forbs	83
Appendix
Appendix A. Operating instruction for CD-ROM "Woody and Herbaceous Plants for Minnesota Landscape and Roadsides"	95
Appendix B. Surface and Groundwater Protection	99
Appendix C. Drainage System Considerations	117
Appendix D. Glossary	121
Bibliography	125
Appendix E. Shrub Compatiblity	127
Winning Combinations	128
Herbicide Impacts on Living Snow Fences	139
Living Snow Fence with a Grassland Nesting Bird Component	140

Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension.

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