The Effectiveness of Windbreaks using GIS in the Tokachi Region, Hokkaido

Effect of Japanese Larch Arable Land Windbreaks on Wind Damage Reduction in the Early Spring Cultivation Season: A Case Study in Kamioribe District, Shihoro Town, Eastern Hokkaido

“…Akama et al (2007) posted a photograph of either a Sakhalin fir or Sakhalin spruce arable land windbreak and gave the following caption: "Conifers which are effective for Tokachi wind in spring." In contrast to the reports of Torita et al (2003), Tsuji et al (2005Tsuji et al ( , 2007, and Akama et al (2007), it was reported that snow banks of similar sizes formed leeward to deciduous Japanese larch and evergreen Sakhalin fir arable land windbreaks in winter, suggesting that the wind velocity reduction effects of these two types of windbreak are similar (Ohshima et al, 2003;Hokkaido Forestry Research Institute, 2005). Thus, it is necessary to resolve this contradiction.…”

“…The publication by Akama et al (2007) was a pamphlet, not a scientific study. Tsuji et al (2005) studied wind damage to sugar beets and reported that "On the survey on wind erosion had confirmed that wind erosion damage occurs in areas outside the windbreaks, and not in the sheltered areas." They also reported that "The wind erosion damage ratio increased with the density of the windbreak networks becoming less in Otofuke.…”

“…Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Carr.) accounts for about 78% of the planted species and is chosen for use in arable land windbreaks because it is rapid-growing (Tsuji et al, 2005).…”

“…Larch buds on the Tokachi Plain start to open in early May (Ohshima et al, 2002), and it takes about three weeks from the bud opening for the full extension of leaves on short shoots (Hirokawa and Suzuki, 2006). During half of the high risk period of wind damage, larch buds are either not open or open, but do not have fully extended leaves (Tsuji et al, 2005;Tsuji et al, 2007). Thus, Torita et al (2003) suggested that Japanese larch arable land windbreaks were insufficiently effective in spring because the wind velocity reduction effect of a trunk line windbreak of deciduous Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica var.…”

“…Thus, evergreen trees are candidates for species with high wind shielding effects in spring cultivation season" (Torita et al, 2003). Tsuji et al (2005) described the disadvantage of larch trees: "The main disadvantage is that the growth of this tree between the end of April and the beginning of May, the period with high risk of wind erosion in this area, is not sufficient to provide maximum wind shielding effects." Tsuji et al (2007) suggested that Japanese larch arable land windbreaks were insufficiently effective in spring because the buds were closed or the leaves on short shoots were still extending, and proposed changing the species of arable land windbreaks to evergreen trees such as Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis [F.Schmidt] Mast.)…”