Jay Peak Resort is trying out a decidedly low-tech approach to trail maintenance this fall by doing away with some of their gas powered lawnmowers and brining in a herd of goats and sheep to help out with the job.
The Burlington Free Press reports the resort has contracted a Vermont-based farmer to bring a herd of goats and sheep to graze about 130 acres of ski and nordic trails throughout September. Each fall Jay Peak about 340 acres of trails and glades throughout the months of September and October with a crew of 10 seasonal workers with gas-powered trimmers. This year part of that work will go towards the goats and sheep.
“This is as much about exploring better, lower-impact ways to care for the mountain as it is about tradition. If the goats and sheep can do the work without heavy fuel use — and without us needing to haul crews up the hill every day — that’s a win for us and the mountain.” –Andy Stenger, Jay Peak Director of Mountain & Base Area Operations
The herd will be outfitted with radio collars connected to a geofencing system. They will rotate through 2-acre sections every two days and graze the vegetation down to the target height of 6 inches. A trained guard dog keep watch of the animals overnight and protect against predators.
The advantages of goats-caping are many including supporting local farmers, reducing carbon emissions, and cutting back on noise pollution. If you are headed to Jay this autumn, lookout for their new animal employees!
Goatscaping: Eco-Friendly Vegetation Management Using Goats
Goatscaping, often referred to as targeted grazing with goats, is a sustainable and natural method of landscaping that employs herds of goats to clear unwanted vegetation, control invasive plants, and maintain ecosystems. This approach serves as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical herbicides, mechanical mowing, or manual labor, promoting biodiversity while reducing environmental impact. Widely used in parks, wildlife refuges, and urban areas, goatscaping leverages goats’ natural browsing habits to achieve land management goals.
What is Goatscaping?
Goatscaping involves deploying goats to graze on specific areas to manage vegetation. It is defined as the strategic application of livestock, particularly goats, to achieve vegetation management objectives, treating them as tools rather than just for production. Goats are particularly effective due to their preference for broad-leaved plants, woody stems, and invasives like buckthorn, multiflora rose, and bittersweet, while often sparing grasses and certain natives.
Benefits of Goatscaping
Goatscaping offers numerous advantages, including improved biodiversity by controlling invasives and allowing native plants to flourish. It enhances soil health through nutrient cycling from goat poop, reduces wildfire risks by clearing fuel loads, and minimizes the need for harmful chemicals or heavy machinery. Additional benefits include cost-effectiveness in hard-to-reach areas, reduced labor, diversified income for land managers, and habitat restoration for wildlife. Goats can access dense, overgrown spaces that humans or machines cannot, and their grazing prevents seed spread of invasives since viable seeds do not pass through their digestive systems. It also promotes community engagement through educational programs and attracts support for conservation efforts.
How Goatscaping Works
The process typically involves enclosing goats in targeted areas using portable electro-net fencing, often solar-powered, to contain them and protect from predators. Rotational grazing is key, where goats are systematically moved to new sections, allowing browsed areas to recover and preventing overgrazing. Goats eat 3-4% of their body weight daily and can create natural irrigation channels with their hooves.
Applications and Examples
Goatscaping is applied in wildfire mitigation, prairie restoration, and urban land management. For example, an EPA facility in Narragansett, Rhode Island used goats to clear invasives to restore native ecosystems and improve biodiversity. In Colorado, companies like Mutton Mowers use goats post-fires to reduce fuel in areas like Boulder.
Key Information on Goatscaping
- Definition: Targeted grazing using goats to manage vegetation, control invasives, and achieve ecological goals.
- Primary Benefits: Enhances biodiversity, reduces wildfire risks, improves soil health, avoids chemicals, and saves labor in inaccessible areas.
- Methods: Rotational grazing with portable fencing; goats browse selectively on woody and broad-leaved plants.
- Drawbacks: Potential overgrazing if not monitored, costs for care and infrastructure, and need for follow-up on regrowth.
- Implementation Steps: Assess goals, calculate stocking rates, time grazing seasonally, and use owned or leased herds with predator protection.
- Examples: EPA facilities for eco-landscaping, Colorado wildfire mitigation, and Massachusetts wildlife sanctuaries for invasive control.
- Environmental Impact: Promotes native plant restoration, nutrient cycling, and sustainable land management without ecosystem harm.
Related: New England’s Snowiest Ski Resort Working On Major Snowmaking Project
images from pexels.com & JayPeakResort Facebook
