Arkansas Oklahoma Gas is clearing weeds and brush from its easements and rights of way one bite at a time, and the result is a win for the utility as well as the environment.
Partnering with Goats on the Go – Fort Smith, a company that specializes in “targeted grazing,” the Fort Smith, Arkansas-based utility is using teams of goats to keep service areas clear. Not only are these contractors environmentally friendly, they also reduce AOG team members’ exposure to environmental hazards including insects, snakes and noxious plants—environmental elements that goats are naturally adept to avoid.
Because the goats do what comes naturally—they eat the underbrush and provide natural fertilizer—they deliver a sustainable way of controlling vegetation that does not cause erosion, use chemicals or burn fossil fuels the way conventional mechanical methods would.
“AOG is committed to conserving natural resources, helping to solve environmental challenges, and reducing our impact on the environment through energy efficiency, pollution reduction and forward-thinking innovation,” Tony Parker, director of operations at AOG, told American Gas. “Our partnership with Goats on the Go – Fort Smith is just one way we are making good on our promises.”
Depending on the size of the area to be cleared, 20 to 40 goats can be deployed at a time. They are contained by temporary solar-charged electric fences and can either stay on the premises or be brought home overnight as conditions warrant.
AOG first began using targeted grazing in May 2022 and hopes to expand its coverage area in 2023. —Eric Johnson