WYOMING LIVING SNOW FENCE PROGRAM

The Wyoming Living Snow Fence Program is a cooperative effort between the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), Wyoming State Forestry Division (WSFD), local Conservation Districts (CD) and private landowners to implement windbreak plantings for the purpose of snow catchment along State highways. Living Snow Fence plantings enhance State and County efforts to keep roads safe and open during periods of adverse winter weather while reducing highway maintenance expenditures. The Program provides funds to cover the costs of planting and maintaining LSF projects. WYDOT provides $100,000 annually to the Program.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Preliminary Project Proposals are due August 1, annually.

Wyoming Living Snow Fence Procedure

 Living Snow fence Program Procedure 

What are Living Snow Fences?

Living Snow Fences are trees, shrubs, and/or native grasses planted at critical locations along public travel roads or around communities and farmsteads. These vegetative barriers trap and control blowing and drifting snow.

Railroad companies were among the first in the United States to use living barriers to control blowing snow. In 1905, the Great Northern Railway Company planted trees for snow drift control along rights-of-way in North Dakota. By 1909, this company reported that over 96,000 trees and shrubs had been planted and survival exceeded 80 percent. 

During the winter of 1925-26, the Wyoming State Highway Department made an attempt to keep roads open state-wide. Due to difficulties encountered, a decision was made to install living snow fence plantings. Installation was initiated in the spring of 1927. Using WWI surplus equipment for watering, efforts were made to keep plantings alive during the early 1930s drought. This task proved too difficult and tree mortality was high. However, remnants of some plantings remain today and provide a surprising degree of snow control. Nearly 50 years were to pass before the living snow fence program was revived.

In 1998, the Wyoming State Forestry Division and the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts approached the leadership of WYDOT to initiate a statewide living snow fence program. This effort was successful and today all three agencies work under an MOU agreement to fund and implement living snow fence projects. To date, 57 projects have been installed and will protect 55,529 feet of public roadway upon establishment.

 The states 34 Conservation Districts initiate site proposals in cooperation with local WYDOT maintenance personnel. These proposals are reviewed for technical aspects and site characteristics related to tree growth by the state living snow fence committee and contracts are signed identifying project installation and maintenance requirements.