Goats Doing What Goats Do
For the second straight year, the powerful appetites of some of nature’s cutest herbivores were utilized to help a Portland golf course.
This summer, a small herd of goats (along with one llama) were deployed alongside Eastmoreland Golf Course’s 13th hole, and were charged with chewing through a bouquet of invasive vegetation that includes English ivy, blackberry, black locust tree, and Clematis vitalba (Old Man’s Beard), according to John Ball, interim director of golf at Portland Parks & Recreation.
The goats are provided by GoGoatOregon. While the goats are hard at work getting their fill, the tall and sassy llama stands guard to discourage predators such as coyotes, while also helping themselves.
This method has real environmental benefits. Goats are obviously less noisy than heavy machinery, easily maintaining the peace of the golf course and surrounding neighborhood. Any risk of spilling fuel or mechanical fluids into the soil is eliminated, as is any need to spray chemicals that may seep into the Willamette River systems.
The free lunch (and breakfast, and dinner) is only half of what ensures the goats have a comfortable experience during their few weeks on the job. A temporary electric fence defines the work area, and a small enclosure protects the goats from the rain.
“The goats are efficient enough so that golfers can easily find lost balls, and staff can survey the area to remove any debris,” Ball said. “The goal is to reduce the biomass over time to improve playability and access.”