Goats herded to tackle overgrowth at a college in Niagara

Goats come to the rescue to clean up some overgrowth at a Niagara Region college this month.

A herd of 40 goats will be at Niagara College’s Welland campus to munch on some greenery from Oct. 15 to 21, according to the college.

“This eco-friendly initiative will reduce motorized equipment use, fuel emissions, and pesticides, creating a more sustainable and accessible outdoor space,” Niagara College said in a post on social media.

Niagara College is the latest place to use goats in vegetation management.

In the summer, 50 goats were brought into a Mississauga park to graze on invasive plant species including non-native thistles and Common Reed.

Goats were also brought to the meadow at Don Valley Brick Works Park in Toronto in June for an intensive two-day grazing session to address woody and invasive plant species, according to the City of Toronto.

At Niagara College, the goats will target overgrowth behind the Applied Health Institute. The goats can get to areas of the campus that are hard to reach including wooded and sloped areas.

Goats can maneuver through thick terrain with ease and have been used for centuries to control vegetation.

“This target grazing initiative is part of a comprehensive management plan to maintain campus grounds in a way that is low-impact and sustainable,” said Bill Rainey, senior director, facilities management and campus safety. “Our goal with clearing the area is to create usable and accessible outdoor space.”

A shepherd will keep an eye on the goats and the animals will have access to water while they work under the natural shade of the tree canopy. The herd will be contained to the project area with fencing.

For safety reasons, students, employees and visitors are asked not to approach the goats or touch the fencing.