The herd of eight goats are from Peace Creek Animal Sanctuary, and according to Webster County Conservation Director Matt Cosgrove, will graze Kennedy Park throughout the growing season and will then return to the sanctuary for the winter months.

“The goats have been a nice addition to our management toolbox,” said Cosgrove. “They can access areas that our equipment can’t, especially the hillsides. Our native vegetation tolerates grazing. Other than moving the fencing, the goats provide a relatively free workforce and work around the clock. The goats have also been a great way to get families hiking and biking around the park to see the hungry herd in action.”

According to Cosgrove, the use of the goats is part of a management strategy to control non-native, shade tolerant plants that dominate the park’s forest areas and outcompete native vegetation. In addition to the grazing herd of goats, the Conservation staff also utilizes mowing, spraying and prescribed burning to manage Kennedy Park’s woodlands.

Conservation staff, specifically Webster County Conservation Trail and Park Technician Brody Bertram, who manages the county’s grazing program, will routinely focus on areas throughout the park that are in need of grazing. An electric fence is then placed to control the designated area that the goats have access to for grazing. Once that area is eaten down, the fencing is then moved to a new location for the goats to graze.

The rescue goats, though formally unnamed, have a variety of nicknames, according to Cosgrove, who also said that his family, like many park visitors, regularly visits the herd to check on their progress.

“The goats have been a big hit with park visitors,” said Cosgrove. “We hear great stories about families visiting the park regularly to see the goats and the progress they make.”

According to Cosgrove, the Conservation department’s grazing program has been successful and he hopes to be able to utilize the goats at additional conservation sites in the future.

“We evaluate our management strategies annually, but grazing has been a nice addition to our toolbox,” said Cosgrove. “We hope to continue to explore a variety of options for controlling invasive plants on public lands. As long as we have access to the herd and staff have the time to manage them, we plan to continue to improve our grazing program.”

The goats have been made available to Webster County Conservation through a partnership with Peace Creek Animal Sanctuary. The fencing was also borrowed from colleagues at the Franklin County Conservation Department.