North Dakota Forest Service offers windbreak assistance grant

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - There aren’t a lot of trees in North Dakota, but the ones we do have offer protection landowners depend on. Tree rows protect crops and livestock in our unpredictable climate. They also help with conservation and protect wildlife. Many of these windbreaks took a hit during October’s wildfires.

Over 110,000 acres went up in flames during October’s wildfires in the northwest part of the state. Those fires damaged or destroyed many windbreaks. Now, a grant program through the North Dakota Forest Service is offering assistance.

Any landowner with a damaged windbreak can apply, but those affected by the flames will get first priority.

“When we talk about windbreaks, we’re talking about those planted trees that are our whether they be field windbreaks in the middle of a field helping to reduce erosion, or they be farmstead windbreaks planted around rural residences trying to keep snow out during the wintertime,” said Matt Olson, the Forest Stewardship Manager for the North Dakota Forest Service.

Jodeen Bergstrom-Dean has also created the Ray/Tioga Fire Recovery Network Facebook group to be a voice for the farmers, connecting them with people and services to help them recover.

“It’s like, okay, how are we going to get the equipment to get these tree rows out and taken care of so they can plant the new trees. And then it’s not just planting the new trees. It’ll be a two to three year babysitting job of making sure those trees root and will actually grow,” said Bergstrom-Dean, the manager of the Ray/Tioga Fire Recovery Network Facebook group.

When a landowner is approved, 75 percent of the repairs will be paid through the grant while the landowner pays the remaining 25 percent. The state’s outdoor heritage fund has made $900,000 available through this grant. Olson says that will be enough to replace many windbreaks. You can find a link on the North Dakota Forest Service homepage to apply for these grant funds and get your property assessed.