North Pond, Madison

North Pond is located within Camp Laurelwood, a private children’s camp that operates seasonally. The pond is surrounded by woods, although one house is visible through the trees to the north. The pond itself is undeveloped except for the beach on the north shore.

No invasive species were present during our September 2005 survey of this 8-acre pond. White water lily (Nymphaea odorata) grew all around the edges except for the area immediately in front of a beach on the north shore. Submerged plants also were abundant. Small pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus) was particularly abundant, covering the bottom of the entire pond. A number of species occurred in small patches or as individual plants around the edges of the pond. Watershield (Brasenia schreberi) grew among the white water lily, especially in an area west of the beach. Ribbon-Leaf pondweed (Potamogeton epihydrus) occurred in a number of patches at the southeast end of the pond. A native milfoil, low watermilfoil (Myriophyllum humile), occurred in this area and also was found in a shallow area at the pond’s northeast corner.