friends of hood pond is dedicated to the pond's restoration
Variable leaf milfoil and several other invasive aquatic plants were taking over Hood Pond
Swimming was nightmarish, fishing areas were becoming choked, boating was restricted, and native plants were being displaced. The pond was becoming filled with thick plant growth while spiky surface plants multiplied and aggressive grasses infiltrated the shore.
Local residents from Ipswich and Topsfield combined efforts to find a solution
Working with many local and state agencies, approval was obtained to treat the pond with an ecologically safe and targeted herbicide.
After 3 years of a five-year treatment plan we already see a huge and gratifying improvement
Treatment of non-native aquatic plants is imperative, as they will continue to grow and take over if left unchecked. Fanwort, water chestnut and phragmites are also growing aggressively in Hood Pond. Steadfast monitoring, testing and plant-specific elimination techniques will continue to be necessary for the foreseeable future.
Great care is being taken to make sure that Hood Pond recovers and remains healthy
Take part in restoring, maintaining and protecting Hood Pond and its surrounding watershed. It's a home and place of respite for so many of us. Support our mission and become a member of Friends of Hood Pond.
Please contribute to hood pond's efforts to reduce invasive aquatic plants
Your help is greatly appreciated!
TOPSFIELD BEACH ASSOCIATION brings the community together
The Topsfield Beach Association supports the Friends of Hood Pond's efforts to keep our water clean, free from invasive plants, and ecologically healthy
Hood Pond is an expansive 100 acre pond located off Route 97 in Topsfield. Staffed by certified lifeguards, Hood Pond offers members a place to escape and enjoy the best of summer....right in Topsfield!
Amenities include:
Life guards, sand beach, docks, swimming raft, bathroom facilities, pedal boats, $1 ice cream, picnic tables, swing set, tether-ball, basketball, free parking, nature trails, boat launch, and Wi-Fi. Events can also be planned.
Annual Hood Pond's summer memberships are available to Topsfield town residents and non-residents.
meet our board
Robi Tobin
Maureen Bresnahan
Paul Mooney
President
Having lived on the shores of Hood Pond since 1977, Robi and her family know what Hood Pond can be like. The open waters were always available to people swimming, paddling and fishing. It is home to countless mammals and birds in addition to the various types of aquatic life. So, when the pond became infested with milfoil, water chestnut, fanwort and phragmites, it was most discouraging and concerning. If these invasive plants were not controlled, the pond would be lost. Former educators, Robi and her husband are now focusing their retirement years on the necessary work of saving and preserving the pond. They fervently hope that future generations will be able to experience and enjoy this beautiful pond as they have for the past 44 years.
Paul Mooney
Maureen Bresnahan
Paul Mooney
Vice President
your story
Maureen Bresnahan
Maureen Bresnahan
Maureen Bresnahan
Treasurer
"We are only the trustees for those
who come after us."
William Morris
Marylou Ruch
Michelle Vaillancourt
Maureen Bresnahan
Clerk
When we decided to move here 10 years ago, I was drawn to the closeness of the pond and surrounding trails. Swimming wasn’t much fun, there were too many weeds. I loved being on the water, the peace and surrounding beauty, the rare days of perfect ice for skating, and the joy of tossing sticks or frisbees to my dog. Mostly, I came to enjoy the folks I met while doing these things, admiring the distance swimmers, and the patience of the fishermen, and fellow dog lovers. Ours is a community ecosystem, so I was excited to learn about my neighbors' passion towards cleaning up the destructive weeds. Through the formation of Friends of Hood Pond, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting even more neighbors. Together we can keep this pond, neighborhood and ecosystem thriving.
Michelle Vaillancourt
Michelle Vaillancourt
Michelle Vaillancourt
Assistant Clerk
Ingrid Johnson
Michelle Vaillancourt
Michelle Vaillancourt
Media Outreach
My home for the last 30 years hasn't just been a house, but a forest with well-worn trails, Hermit Thrushes, purple hepatica, and a beautiful pond. This is where I have found inspiration for my artwork and space to raise my family. I feel that the generosity of this land should be reciprocated in order for it to thrive. Now is the time to not only appreciate this pond, but to care for it by reclaiming it from invasive, non-native plants. If it weren't for local residents forming Friends of Hood Pond to make an intervention, the pond would have been choked with these plants, leaving it unfit for any of us to swim in, or for fish, birds, and animals to keep as their home. I'm grateful that I can play a part in caring for Hood Pond, for now and for the future.
Lynn Murphy
Lynn Murphy
Lynn Murphy
Board Member
Kevin Lenk
Lynn Murphy
Lynn Murphy
Board Member
Hood Pond is part of my back yard. It has been for the last 26 years. I'm on the water for three seasons, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. In the winter I'm out on the ice. I see the pond as a blessing to those who make an effort to get out and be a part of it. I try to be vigilant with making observations of anything that may be a detriment to the heath of Hood Pond. For anybody dealing with the everyday stresses that life inevitably throws our way, I would prescribe a couple of hours out on Hood Pond.