Arbor Day, April 26th, 2019

Published: 2019
By Katie Hatlelid

Trees and shelterbelts are a perennial generator of interest in Central Montana. With the strong winds and cold temperatures that often accompany our winters, the shelter of a good stand of trees and shrubs can make all the difference. A very interactive group attended the annual Arbor Day educational meeting in Stanford. MSU’s Judith Basin County Extension Agent Katie Hatlelid gave a brief presentation on conifers and pruning, and what trees to plant in the surrounding area. Hatlelid distributed handouts related to trees, shelterbelts, pruning, and the winterkill seen this year in evergreen trees. Many attendees have worked with Hatlelid in the past few years planting, replanting, or reinvigorating farmstead shelterbelts. There are many farms and ranches that have shelterbelts that have trees nearing 100 years old. Also covered in the presentation were ways to selectively prune and remove failing trees to allow new ones to fill those spaces.