861,625 Trees Planted in ’12

While most news these days about wildlife habitat and conservation in South Dakota may be “doom and gloom,” there is a positive story to be told. During this last year as the detractors chose to shout from the roadsides, farmers and landowners along with their conservation districts were busy planting 861,625 trees across the state.

South Dakota’s conservation districts planted more than 270 miles worth of field windbreaks this year. And during the past 7 years, they’ve planted enough trees to stretch from Sioux Falls to Seattle and back.

In total, all of the windbreaks planted along fields, farmsteads and feedlots this year cover more than 1,750 acres. Wildlife plantings accounted for another 384 acres.

These tree planting statistics prove that no matter what the environmental extremists may say, conservation on South Dakota farms has been, is currently and will continue to be an important part of agriculture and the state’s landscape moving forward.

Just the Facts: SD Conservation Districts planted 861,625 trees in 2012

761 acres of field windbreaks
991 acres of farmstead & feedlot windbreaks
260 acres of renovation plantings
384 acres of wildlife plantings
184 acres of other plantings
2,582 total acres
1,120 farms
480,113 deciduous trees
381,512 conifers
345 trees per acre