COOPERSVILLE, MI (WHTC) – A new initiative by the Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Commission hopes to combat invasive species by not using machinery or herbicides, but goats.
The Prescribed Browsing Project brought in eight goats to Coopesville’s Bur Oak Landing last Friday – six young goats and two nanny goats – to snack on the area’s invasive plant populations, like Oriental bittersweet and honeysuckle.
Ottawa County is one of the first park systems in the nation to use this method of invasive species management. Data from the project will be used to create a business model to help expand on the concept in the future.
The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee awarded a grant to cover the cost of an intern to care for the goats, as well as collect the necessary data. Another nonprofit group, Friends of Ottawa County Parks, purchased extra fencing to increase the goats’ workspace.
Visitors are welcome to watch the goats at work, but are asked to not touch the goats and be cautious of the electric fence enclosure. The oil from poison ivy does not affect the goats, but can be transferred to humans.
-Daniel Rayzel
