The City of Brighton’s Open Space Division is partnering with Goat Bros LLC to bring 150 goats to the Ken Mitchell Open Space on May 13 for noxious weed control, wildfire mitigation, and regenerative grazing. Previous gravel mining operations have left the soil depleted of essential nutrients, making it difficult for native vegetation to compete with the increasing population of invasive weeds. The goats will be brought in for a 10-day trial run with hopes of extending their work the following year.

The working herd of 150 goats are not pets. Visitors should observe the following guidelines:

• Stay clear of the electric fence

• All pets must be leashed

• Do not feed, touch, or bother the herd

Come meet the baby goats

While the working goat herd should not be bothered, the public is invited to come meet baby goats during Community G.O.A.T. Day on Saturday, May 20, from Noon to 4 p.m. at Ken Mitchell Park (889 Kinglet Court). Residents will be able to pet and interact with baby goats and nannies. Come take photos and learn about the benefits goats can provide the environment. 

Why Goats?

Using goats is an environmentally friendly alternative to using toxic-chemical pesticides, especially around lakes and streams. Goats are a part of a new culture of environment healing and education, often bringing people back to the land. Goats are an ideal tool to implement into land management practices because they are designed to eat; it is their favorite thing to do and they are good at it. 

• Goats are immune to the toxic effects of most noxious weeds and can help control the weeds that harm other livestock.

• Goats prefer not to eat native grasses.

• Goats are great for reclamation because they can perform a kind of ecological multi-tasking. They can till the soil, remove the weeds, and work native grass seed and their own dung into the ground as fertilizer using their hooves. 

• Goats are the original “green” weed control. Goats are an effective weed control agent that aids in the elimination of unnecessary herbicidal chemicals being added to our environment.

• Wildfires are started primarily with dry plant matter. Goats eat the brush and dry plants that are fuel to fires. By eliminating wildfire fuels, goats can play a huge role in preventing wildfires.

• Goats increase forage for other wildlife by helping to eliminate noxious weeds that compete for soil space and nutrients.

• Goats pulverize when they chew and have a unique make-up of strong digestive juices. Unlike other livestock, the seed of most plants being eaten does not make it through their digestive tract intact.

• Annual grazing reduces the seed bank, making it easier for native grasses to out-compete invasive weeds.

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For more information, contact Bob Woods, Open Space Manager, at bwoods@brightonco.gov.