Disadvantages of Trees Near Ponds

• Decomposing leaves and wood not only cause ponds to fill in faster, they can actually create toxins. When layers of organic tree matter line the bottom of a pond, oxygen cannot penetrate to the pond's bottom. This causes a build-up of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas poisonous to fish. Fallen leaves take oxygen from the water as they decompose, creating problems for pond-dwelling creatures. Tree roots cause further damage; during the summer, roots can remove as much as 50 gallons of water per day from a pond, expelling it from its foliage in a process known as transpiration. While this may benefit the environment, it does not benefit the pond or the creatures that live in it. Finally, tree roots can degrade the soil around pond banks, causing erosion and a build-up of sediment that further shrinks pond size. To avoid these issues, Purdue University recommends planting trees at least 100 feet away from a pond.
  
  

Advantages of Trees Near Ponds

• Despite these potential problems, trees growing near a pond do offer advantages. Conifers planted on the windward side of a pond create beneficial windbreaks. Trees create vegetative buffer strips that filter sediment and reduce run-off into the pond. Trees planted close to a pond also provide habitat for wildlife; birds use native trees as nesting sites, dead trees provide homes for birds, insects and small mammals, and turtles catch the sun on fallen trees or roots that extend into the water. If you want to attract wildlife to your pond, plant trees a few feet from the shore. Plant evergreens in rows or clumps to provide cover for wildlife.
  
  

Trees to Avoid Near Ponds

• Certain species of trees cause more damage than others and should be avoided. These include willows (Salix spp.). Willows have shallow, water-seeking roots that grow close to the surface and cause pond bank damage and degradation. Weeping willows (Salix babylonia) tend to remove a great deal of water from ponds through transpiration, especially during times of drought. Most deciduous trees create too much leaf litter, so plant shade trees at least as far away from the pond as their maximum height, according to Michigan State University.
  
  

Pond-Compatible Plants

• If you're not creating a pond solely to attract wildlife, plant other species that grow well around ponds. Such plants help prevent erosion and run-off and provide wildlife habitat without causing damage. These include grasses such as fescues, Bermuda, ryegrass and bromes, native ornamental grass species and low-growing native shrubs such as the buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). To increase habitat, plant non-invasive, native aquatic species such as cattails, rushes, spatterdock and waterlilies.