Heifort Pond

Heifort Pond HOAs

There are residential developments surrounding Heifort Pond, including two HOAs: the Ponds at Heifort Hills to the west and Heifort Hills Estate to the north. For HOA-specific resources, visit the HOA Guidance page.

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 (PDF) 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. Over the past year, the HOA has partnered 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 for 2025-2026, including planting native trees and shrubs.

Tree Removal

In 2024, the board at Heifort Hills HOA developed a Buffer Zone Management Plan (PDF) for removing 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 contained 100 +/- dead, dying or invasive trees that presented a danger to people and homes. In early 2025, about 50 dead or dying trees were removed.

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 have signed an agreement for acceptance and implementation of HELP program in the buffer zone. 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 (PDF).

• 2025 HELP Grant Application (PDF)
• Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program 9.24.2024 (PDF)
• FY25 HELP Planting Plan (PDF)

Project Timeline

• March 2025: 30-50 trees were removed 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.
• Fall 2025: Minnesota Native Landscapes performed foliar herbicide treatment on buckthorn, honeysuckle, and Amur maple re-sprouts and seedlings. In October, the Washington Conservation District worked with residents to plant 67 potted trees and shrubs including:
  • Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
  • American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
  • Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
  • Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
  • American Elder (Sambucus canadensis)
  • Nannyberry Viburnum (Viburnum lentago)
  • Downy Arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesquianum)
• 2026: The Washington Conservation District will work with residents to plant additional potted trees and shrubs in the spring and fall, and woody invasive species removal will continue to manage buckthorn, honeysuckle, and Amur maple re-sprouts.