Planting trees for conservation purposes can yield a lot of benefits for the environment and landowners.

Strategically placed tree plantings can help landowners manage soil erosion, wind stress, shade, snow drift, water runoff, and even odor and noise. Tree cover provides wildlife habitat and associated recreational opportunities. If you have enough high-quality wildlife habitat on your farm, you may be able to lease hunting rights for additional income. A variety of species like black walnut, oaks, black cherry and maple may have income potential for timber, once they have reached large enough sizes to produce good logs.

To realize all this potential, however, requires some purposeful planning and execution. Many tree planting attempts fail as a result of poor planning or lack of information on how to do it right the first time. Before you pick your trees to plant, think about what you want to accomplish:

• Am I planting for windbreak benefits, wildlife habitat, timber production or a combination of these objectives? You may be able to achieve all of these if your species selection and planting design are well-planned.

• What site limitations am I working with? Check the soils and other characteristics of your planting site to be sure your chosen species will perform well there for the lifetime of the plant.

Excessively wet or very shallow soils are not suited to black walnut, so planning to grow that species on marginal sites for timber production will lead to disappointment. Other species may do much better and still provide a chance to grow some profitable timber with time. Local experts like professional foresters, Extension professionals and USDA conservationists can help you with evaluation of the site and its soils, as well as appropriate species and planting designs.

Young trees will perform better if they are not in competition with perennial grasses and weeds. Eliminate competing weed growth from the area prior to planting your trees. This can be done with herbicide applications, tillage or a combination of these.

Establishing a tree-friendly cover to keep weeds in check and reduce erosion may also help you manage the planting. Some annual grasses like winter wheat, rye, and some small legumes like small clovers may make a good temporary cover. If the soils on the planting site have been compacted by equipment, consider disking or ripping the area to help tree roots penetrate and expand in the soil horizon following planting.

Locate a high-quality public or private tree seedling nursery for purchase of your planting stock. Conservation trees are often sold as bare-root seedlings or as containerized stock, so consider costs and logistics of shipping and planting in your planning. Your local forester can provide recommended nurseries, or you can consult the USDA Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetics Resources site for nurseries in your state. Ordering early may be important to make sure you get the stock you need.

If you plan to plant trees for a conservation purpose on your farm, you may be eligible for one of a variety of USDA cost-sharing programs providing incentives for planting trees. Check with your local USDA Service Center to see if you are eligible, and learn more about the program requirements.

The Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center provides several publications designed to help you plan and manage your tree plantings, plus additional resources. 

Planting trees is an activity that leaves a legacy extending past our own lifetime. Make sure your effort is successful with good planning.

Miller is a horticulture professor at Joliet Junior College, and a senior research scientist in entomology at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Email your tree questions to him at [email protected].