Rather than hiring humans to work on a seasonal restoration project at a Fort Collins natural area, the City has enlisted the help of a herd of goats to do so instead.
This top-performing herd is part of a winning collaboration between the Natural Areas Ecological Stewardship team and a local goat herder. Together, they’re piloting small-scale goat and sheep grazing at Kingfisher Point Natural Area in order to help with land restoration.
The goats will help to clear out invasive plants, boost biodiversity, and improve soil health one hoof at a time. Using goats is an efficient and environmentally friendly way for the City of Fort Collins to manage overgrown portions at Kingfisher Point. While grazing in the area, these hungry animals will help to control noxious weeds, undergrowth of invasive species, dead brush, and leaves, allowing the natural grasses to recover. Having them on-site also aids in reducing vegetative fuels for wildfire mitigation…