Goats Grazing Reduce Fire Risk in Roseville - with Video
Jul 14, 2014 01:51PM ● By Brian Ostrovsky
Goats graze on overgrown vegetation at Maidu Park in Roseville
I visited my dad in Roseville over the weekend and he mentioned that the green space across from their house (mostly the color of kindling in summer as much of the Sacramento region is) was recently cleared by a giant herd of goats.
That sounded like something my 3 year old and 6 year old would love to see so we headed over to Maidu Park where the goats were continuing their tireless work.
We shot a short video and included it below. What didn't come across in the video was the sheer sound the goats made chewing in unison, it was something. (I removed the audio track as it was mostly my kids asking questions).
If you're looking for something a little different definitely check out the goats, your kids will think it's pretty cool.
A quick search and I found https://www.roseville.ca.us/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=4117&TargetID=4 and I've summarized the project from that site below. One thing that wasn't referenced on their website was that this project is also an attempt to reduce non-indigenous plants in the area - at least that's what one of the posted signs mentioned.
The City of Roseville is conducting a vegetation control project with 250–400 goats in the open space and preserve areas. Rather than using lawn mowers and weed-eaters goats provide an innovative, environmentally sensitive way to eliminate fire hazards such as grass by keeping open space vegetation under control.
During the project a perimeter fence will surround the goats and companion dogs will also be used. The animals are accompanied by a caretaker and companion dogs who are on site 24 hours per day.
Additional goat herds may be added and goats will change locations throughout the open space as they finish eating the vegetation in one location and are needed in another.
That sounded like something my 3 year old and 6 year old would love to see so we headed over to Maidu Park where the goats were continuing their tireless work.
We shot a short video and included it below. What didn't come across in the video was the sheer sound the goats made chewing in unison, it was something. (I removed the audio track as it was mostly my kids asking questions).
If you're looking for something a little different definitely check out the goats, your kids will think it's pretty cool.
A quick search and I found https://www.roseville.ca.us/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=4117&TargetID=4 and I've summarized the project from that site below. One thing that wasn't referenced on their website was that this project is also an attempt to reduce non-indigenous plants in the area - at least that's what one of the posted signs mentioned.
The City of Roseville is conducting a vegetation control project with 250–400 goats in the open space and preserve areas. Rather than using lawn mowers and weed-eaters goats provide an innovative, environmentally sensitive way to eliminate fire hazards such as grass by keeping open space vegetation under control. During the project a perimeter fence will surround the goats and companion dogs will also be used. The animals are accompanied by a caretaker and companion dogs who are on site 24 hours per day.
Additional goat herds may be added and goats will change locations throughout the open space as they finish eating the vegetation in one location and are needed in another.