I also like the look of trees around the pond! Any new ponds I build at my place will be right out in the middle of prairie grass. I much prefer your "look"!
Yes the silt fencing is a good idea. There is a reason they use them on construction sites. Right now, silt fencing with stakes is only $0.37/foot at our local Menards.
There are also several good threads on Pond Boss about landscape plantings for erosion control - you might go read a few of those. Some of our "green thumb" members have put some good ideas in there.
Have you gone to the county extension office yet in the county of your property? If you get a good agent there, that can be a very valuable resource, especially for local conditions information. Many states have programs to subsidize the sale of seed blends when it is explicitly used for erosion control. Obviously, that blend would be optimized for your soils and climate.
