The establishment of a field shelterbelt requires a considerable amount of field preparation; valuable farmland has to be withdrawn from production of crops and the immediate strip of land alongside the shelterbelt loses its productivity. (Government of Alberta )

The innermost rows of a shelterbelt should consist of tall, deciduous trees. Use the smaller trees and shrubs on the leeward side. Shrubs planted in the outermost rows will catch drifting snow. The resulting vertical structure of the shelterbelt directs wind over the area to be protected. (Ohio State University)

Connecting shelterbelts with existing or planned perennial vegetation, such as woodlots and woody draws (tree/shrub establishment) or riparian areas (riparian forest buffer), provides additional benefits for wildlife and aesthetics. (Natural Resources Conservation Service)