Wind is a primary cause of evaporation and erosion in the great basin, so any and all windbreak strategies are relevant.

Depending on the site characteristics, fences, earthen mounds, buildings, and rock walls might be used in addition to living windbreaks.  Because trees do not grow readily across the landscape, any perennial plant cover functions to decrease the drying and erosive effects of winds.

Regionally our prevailing and storm winds come from the W and S.  It is relevant to consider the shading effects of any windbreaks oriented E-W to block the S winds using sun angle analysis to define a partial shade planting zone to the N of the windbreak based on the height. 

My personal site has SE and N winds, so I planted a perimeter windbreak with short trees and shrubs (up to 12-18' tall) on the S and included larger trees for the other three sides (up to 50' tall). 

Around homesites and in areas where irrigation is accessible, plant species selection can range widely, and I prefer to include fast growing trees for rapid growth and windbreak effect then product harvest at about year 7-10 when the slower growing trees are starting to reach heights of 25-45' (I've included some design templates and examples here).  When irrigated, some species I use are Robinia sp., Quercus sp., Gleditsia sp., Ulmus sp., Populus sp., Pinus sp., Picea sp., Cupressus sp., Juniperus sp., Cercocarpus sp., Morus sp., Amelanchier sp., Eleagnus sp., Shepherdia sp., Caragana sp., Crataegus sp., Xanthocerus sp., Sambucus sp., Amorpha sp., Aronia sp., Hippophae sp., and others.  I usually don't clear land and use any existing shrubs as nurse sp.  if possible, I encourage native bunchgrasses, forbes, and other groundcovers (working with buffalo gourd curcurbita foetidissima right now).  If sufficient water is available, I plant densely with plans for harvest or chop n drop as mentioned but with long term trees at desired permanent spacings.  For windbreaks I choose hardy species in general and use Zone 3 PC mgmt strategies such as spot mulching, minimal irrigation (single emitter drip or could use deep pipe or wick), and protection from animals when appropriate.  I usually add about a shovel full of compost to each hole as an innoculant and sprinkle mycorhizzae on roots.  I plant bare root or deep potted (forestry) plants.

Since most precip here comes as snow, it makes sense to layout windbreaks for harvesting and managing windblown snow as well. 

Without irrigation, tree size windbreaks are limited to locations in the landscape conducive to growing trees such as edges of alluvial fans, N and E slopes, higher elevations, and some riparian corridors.  not including riparian areas, species I would most likely use are pinus monophylla, juniperus osteosperma and scopulorum, ephedra viridis, Purshia tridentata, Chrysothamnus sp., Sambucus caerulea, Cercocarpus sp., yucca bacatta, native bunchgrasses, and other natives appropriate to site.

For temperate (4 season) climates, I like the Univ. Nebraska Coop Ext windbreak resources re: windbreak structure and layout with regards to wind. http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/index.jsp?what=list&orderBy=topic#FORESTRY

I also refer to the agroforestry.net multiuse windbreak article to keep in mind opporutnities to stack functions (or if I'm working in the tropics.) http://agroforestry.net/pubs/multwind.pdf

In addition, one of the most effective windbreak strategies for bio-intensive cultivation is the modern hoophouse (both high and low tunnels), which I consider a phenomenal multi-function asset to small farms and homesteads.

-response from Andrew Millison   

--my reply

I have applied these techniques at various scales.

Primary successes so far have been at the home scale of 0.75 - 1.5 acres over 3-5 years. I have photodocumentation of this work I'm happy to share here.

Application at the homestead scale of ~3 acres has had variable/moderate results during year one. IN this case, I think irrigation learning curve, animal herbivory (deer and rabbits), and planting skill learning curve are the primary issues needing improvement.Also some of the overall design details could be improved.

At broad acre scale, my direct install experience has been on non-irrigated dryland situations with moderate to low success, primarily based on drought induced mortality.

My current thoughts on options for new implementation strategies in this setting are: -direct seeding (rather than planting seedlings) with a reduced plant pallet which may include altering windbreak pattern to a shrub scale - develop/install establishment irrigation -site preparation for 1-3 years to develop soil and water retentive characteristics of landscape using grazing, cropping, earthworks, etc. I am currently in collaboration with site planning to trial these development strategies locally.