Over the past years considerable effort and resources have been given to development of improved tree and shrub species for conservation and agroforestry plantings in the prairie and parkland regions. The objective of the native woody plant improvement program is to assemble populations from the native range of a species, comparatively evaluate the ecotype, select superior plants, increase by sexual propagation and release as adapted seed propagated cultivars. The publication Improvement of Conservation Trees and Shrubs is a guide to the status of improvement and development of woody plants at the Shelterbelt Centre.
Information is provided on performance, hardiness, adaptability and conservation use.
A brief description of each species is included. The plants listed are being developed specifically for conservation purposes. Conservation uses include, field, farmstead, roadside and livestock shelterbelts, wildlife block and corridor plantings, riparian revegetation or streambank stabilization, reclamation plantings on disturbed mine spoils and other disturbed sites and forestbelts. These ecoregions are based on a combination of climatic, physiographic and ecological criteria. Four major ecoregions dominate the agricultural landscape of the southern half of Saskatchewan.