I came across this and found it interesting. This is a little background to the shelter belts in the Midwest. As a native New Englander, I take it for granted that there are so many trees in my area, even in suburbia. Trees on the Great Plains: Shelterbelts and the Forest Service | The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views
Started planting shelter belts after the dust bowl back in the 30's. Need to slow the wind down so it doesn't take all the top soil. grew up in Kansas.