Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site On Lassig Pond

Todd - great points.

Willows and Cottonwoods are notoriously thirsty and should be avoided. If shade or windbreak is goal to reduce wave action/erosion/evaporation on a pond, you have to plant conifers as they won't drop leaves and provide year round protection.

Red Cedars are IMO the least attractive, but are hardy, drought tolerant and usually free to landowner.

White Pines grow fast, are beautiful, disease resistant but don't provide a very dense break. Avoid other pine species - tip blight and other vectors are decimating pine populations nationwide. We're about to lose all our Scotch pines - years ago it was the Austrians and Ponderosas. IMO avoid them altogether for this reason.

Norway or Colorado Blue Spruce is probably the way to go for an all around great windbreak.

Deciduous trees could be planted in other areas to provide aesthetic impact. I plan to line my easement road in both ditches with Maples for the classic New England feel in Autumn. It will be a long and arduous process, but it will be worth it. Something to consider, at least.