Will You Be Celebrating National Arbor Day?

Plan ahead for April 30 – National Arbor Day – plant a tree and gain the benefits that trees offer for livestock facilities – especially poultry facilities.Planting trees around poultry buildings offer many environmental benefits and can be used for their landscape value as a visual screen. Trees strategically planted on poultry farms may help reduce ammonia emissions by physically capturing both ammonia gas and ammonia-laden dust particles.

Capturing emissions from facilities can help operations plan for any emissions issue in the coming years. Trees also can capture carbon dioxide and return oxygen into the air. Their roots also filter nutrients that might escape into the runoff.

Trees can restrict airflow, so it's important to plan your tree planting around predominant wind directions. Conversely, trees can serve as windbreaks that can impact energy costs. They are a natural system that can reduce heating costs by 10 top 40 percent and cooling costs by 20 percent.

According to a report from the University of Delaware, actual benefits in lowering intake air temperatures are limited. Still, some preliminary data suggest summer air temperatures next to poultry houses having a shaded (wooded) area on the western exposure may be up to 7°F cooler in the afternoon than the air around houses in an open space.

What trees are best?
That answer is dependent on location and the intended value sought. Desirable trees have maximum vegetative density with complex leaf shapes, deep roots, wind tolerance, and low maintenance. Extension specialists will make recommendations, but generally, producers should choose a variety of species. Do not plant trees that have seeds or nesting sites that attract wild birds.