Grazing Goats To Help Mow Invasive Species In Minneapolis Parks

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For the first time, the City of Minneapolis is enlisting the help of a herd of goats to deal with a pesky problem.

About 60 goats will spend the next two weeks eating their way through parts of Cedar Lake Park to help get rid of some plants that are invasive species.

Diversity Landworks owner Kyle Johnson said his 60 goats from his farm in southeast Minnesota are doing what they are supposed to by feeding from nature.

"Goats are browsers as opposed to grazers," Johnson explained. "So that means they prefer leafy and woody shrubs."

The City of Minneapolis enlisted Johnson's help in hopes that nature can work to remove invasive species plants like buckthorn and garlic mustard.

"The reason we have gotten to this problem with the invasive species is because we have removed animals from the land," Johnson said. "So the idea is to bring the animals back to the land; it is a proven process."

With help from goats, the City can go with less help from herbicides.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board says anyone from the public can stop by to the see the goats from a behind a short fence.

If at the end of the two weeks park officials determine the goats got rid of enough invasive species, you could see more goats back next year and in many more parks in the city.

The goats will also be at Theodore Wirth Park in July.