Muck and dead vegetation in a naatueral pond is just natural......Our
conservation dept also recomends placing evergreen trees in to provide
shelter etc for fish in these type ponds......They are not going to do
any harm with a pond of that size. The pump is probably the typical
suspended submersible to power the fountain and should not get
affected by any pine needles or other leaves etc in the water. Folks
that have preforms and liner type ponds of a few thousand gal have no
earthly ideas waht a natural pond consists of and what can and can'[t
be done....Totally different ball gamne than a back yard pond. The
vast majority of these ponds have little to no bottom vegetation since
they are dug out and filled and deep enough to prevent ost aquatic
plants from getting a strong foot hold.

I seriously doubt others are going to follow suit and dump household
rubbish in the pond. Shelter providing is one thing, dumping of
rubbish is another. In a year or two noting will be left of the
christmas tree and it only adds to the ecological balance of a natural
pond.....

Just why would it have to be fenced in. Not all areas have idiots
living there that needs to be kept back from a pond that is made to be
utilized. Ranting about no fence and placing of a christmas tree in
the pond is sheer paranoia for follks that don't have a clue.