Goats keep Bear Creek Park clear of invasive weeds

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Goats are doing their part to keep the area free of invasive weeds. The grass at Bear Creek Park is being kept manageable largely due to a goat herd from Goat Green, LLC, and has been ever since the owner, Lani Malmberg, first brought the goats to the park in 1999.

The goats graze the perimeter of the park and help eradicate invasive, non-native weeds that spread fast and are detrimental to the health of the soil. According to Connor Hancock, a goat herder for the company, goats are not picky and often prefer weeds over typical grasses. That’s why Goat Green, LLC hires out their goats and transports herds to areas to have them graze to clear the area of weeds and reduce fire risk, without using herbicides, which often contain harmful chemicals.

Goat Mowers: A sustainable way to clear grass

It’s important to find alternative means of mitigating the overgrowth of grasses and weeds without herbicides, especially in areas as populated as Bear Creek Park. Since around the mid-1970s, people have been maintaining community gardens, where they grow vegetables for their families and neighbors. The use of goats to remove weeds also aids in protecting the crops in the gardens from being contaminated.

Goat Green LLC brings a herd of over 400 goats to maintain the area, and they quickly reduce excess vegetation in a fenced-in area, often within a day or less. But 400 goats is a smaller herd compared to some of the more open spaces they are hired to manage.

In those situations, goat herders have to do more active work to keep the goats contained, and they rely heavily on one or more of the five working dogs the company has, such as Roscoe.

“Roscoe is my boss at this point. He’s my supervisor. He does everything,” Hancock said. “The dogs are the key to moving the goats. They can get around the herd. They listen to one or two-word commands… and drive the goats exactly where you want them.”

There are hazards involved with having goats work in an area such as Bear Creek Park, and one of the most worrying, according to Hancock, is owners who let their pets off the leash. The rules of the park require leashes on pets, but Hancock said it’s especially important when the goats are doing their work. They are easily spooked by roaming or aggressive dogs and can break out of the fenced areas and run into traffic, which becomes a danger for the goats and other people.

In terms of the fences, Hancock wants to remind people to keep their hands and those of their children away from the electrified portable fences meant to keep the goats contained.

“It does hurt when you touch it,” said Hancock. “I still get it day-to-day. But if you’re bringing kids here, please make sure that they know, repeatedly telling them, that this fence is hot because it will hurt and they will feel it.”

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