CRAWFORD COUNTY, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The ODNR Division of Forestry is urging Northwest Ohio landowners to apply by December 1, 2025, for a program that provides professional assistance with planning and planting windbreaks, riparian trees, and wildlife shrubs.
The Northwest Ohio Windbreak/Shrub/Riparian Program assists landowners in establishing tree plantings that offer numerous benefits, including reducing wind velocities, controlling soil erosion on cropland, providing shelter for livestock, reducing snow drifting, and creating essential wildlife habitat.
Local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff work directly with the landowner to plan the project and determine the ideal type and number of trees necessary for the landscape. ODNR forestry staff then provide and plant the trees in the spring of 2026.
One of the unique features of the program is its survival guarantee: ODNR will provide replacement trees at no additional cost for any plantings that fail to meet survivability standards in the first year.
The cost for the program is $0.45 per row foot, which covers planning, planting, tree seedlings, herbicide application, and the survival guarantee.
Eligible landowners may also qualify for substantial financial assistance, with cost-share incentives offering up to 90% reimbursement. Land and landowner eligibility requirements do apply, and interested parties are encouraged to contact the Crawford SWCD office for complete eligibility information and to apply before the deadline.