Heifort Pond

The Ponds at Heifort Hills

The Ponds at Heifort Hills HOA on the west side of Heifort Pond is required to maintain a 75-foot wetland buffer between the pond and the development. This led to creating the Heifort Buffer Management Plan in 2021, which shows the buffer area and gives a general idea of what plants could be planted there. The HOA had contracted with Minnesota Native Landscapes (MNL) to apply an herbicide to buckthorn in 2022-2024, and some large buckthorn trees were removed. This year, the HOA is partnering with the Washington Conservation District and a contractor to remove dead, diseased, and invasive trees in the buffer zone. The Ponds at Heifort Hills also received a $15,000 Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program (HELP) grant from the Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) for buffer zone enhancement beginning this year.

Tree Removal

In 2024, the board of directors at the Ponds at Heifort Hills HOA developed a more detailed buffer zone management plan of how they will remove dead and diseased trees and invasive plants with the objectives to:

• Eliminate the risk of trees injuring people and/or damaging houses
• Enable native plants and trees to be planted in an environment that allows them to thrive
• Create a buffer zone that can be economically maintained as a sustainable area populated with native trees and plants

The buffer zone contains 100 +/- dead, dying or invasive trees that present a danger to people and homes. Up to about 50 dead or dying trees will be removed during the first quarter of 2025. The diameter of trees to be removed ranges from 4-9 inches DBH (diameter at breast height). The median diameter of trees to be removed is approximately 6 inches DBH.

Power equipment and small machinery (e.g. chainsaws, skid steer, etc.) will be used by the contractor to cut and haul material offsite. Work will be performed in mid-to-late January during frozen conditions to minimize impact to wildlife and prevent soil disturbance. The tree removal will prepare the buffer zone for further enhancement through planting and management.

HELP Grant Implementation

This buffer zone enhancement is one of 12 projects receiving funding through the Washington Conservation District’s 2025 HELP grant award. The 2-acre pond buffer enhancement will remove non-native woody species and replace with native flowering trees and shrubs, to increase species diversity, enhance habitat for wildlife, protect water quality, and improve the aesthetic quality of the buffer. These efforts build off the initial planting plan developed by BCWD in 2021. The HOA board and WCD/BCWD have signed an agreement for acceptance and implementation of HELP program in the buffer zone, with a planting plan coming soon. All work is to be completed by December 31, 2026, at which point the HOA will maintain the native buffer zone following the O&M Tree and Shrub Establishment Plan.

• 2025 HELP Grant Application
• Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program 9.24.2024

Project Timeline

• January 2025: A contractor will clear 30-50 trees within the buffer area with the goal of removing diseased or dead ash, hazard trees, and small diameter boxelder to prepare for future planting efforts. All trees to be removed have been marked with red paint or orange flagging.
• Fall 2025 and Fall 2026: There will be approximately 150 native trees and shrubs planted. A more detailed planting plan will be available in Spring 2025.