When hundreds of goats recently crossed a footbridge in Irving on their way to feast on poison ivy and overgrown brush, they weren’t there to entertain park visitors.
They were there to work.
Across Texas, communities are increasingly using goats to clear dense vegetation in parks, drainage areas and other hard-to-reach spaces. From Houston and Dallas to Austin and San Antonio, the animals have become another tool for managing invasive plants and reclaiming overgrown landscapes.
The practice, known as targeted grazing, uses livestock to manage unwanted vegetation in places where traditional mowing, herbicides or heavy equipment may be less practical…