Goat-Scaping

MARLBOROUGH- If you've been around Marlborough High School recently, you've probably seen the goats that are in the area. You might be wondering what they are doing there. Believe me, they have a bigger purpose than you would think. The City of Marlborough has been following in the footsteps of nearby towns to hire goats for landscaping purposes. These goats are used to help control overgrowth of tricky weeds and poisonous plants especially in areas that are not easy to get to with machinery. According to Priscilla Ryder, Conservation Officer for the City of Marlborough, goats will eat just about anything, even poison ivy, which makes them perfect for getting the job done. They make the land easier and safer to maintain for people coming in after the goats are finished to complete the work needed to be done.

The goats come from a local company in Marlborough, Hood's Landscaping, and have been eating invasive plants around the city for a couple of year now. This year they are set up in Holt's Grove right by the high school. The farmer comes and places an electric fence around the area he wants the goats to target. The goats are then left to go to work so to speak and eat away at all of the unwanted plants. The farmer will move the pens from time to time once the area he put them in runs out of food; then they are moved to the next area that needs to be handled.

Just last year, the goats were placed at Lake Williams where they helped to get rid of overgrown bittersweet weeds and thick poison ivy. Ryder calls this a very natural way to fix the overgrowth of invasive species without using chemicals, making it more green for the environment.

The goats will be in Holt's Grove for just a few more weeks as they finish up. The City warns people not to touch the electric fence or pet the goats in case of poison ivy residue. However, if you have not yet seen these animals and the amazing work they have done for the city be sure to take a look.

Full story can be found on WMCT news.