Rochester Parks and Rec to enlist goats to help control invasive plants

Rochester Parks and Recreation is expanding its seasonal staff to help cut down on invasive plants, though two-legged creatures need not apply.

The department plans to bring in a trip of goats this summer to help remove buckthorn in the wooded area near the Zumbro South community gardens.

The work is being funded through a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The city says its plans to work with a “local goat contractor” to fence off the 9.6-acre area and allow the goats to graze.

Alison Litchy, urban forestry program coordinator with Parks and Rec, said the decision to enlist goats for this project follows recent success in using goats to remove invasive plants at Indian Heights Park.

“This is a green alternative to other mechanical methods of removal,” said Litchy, who noted the goats are “very efficient” in their efforts.

Buckthorn has been a nuisance plant since it was brought to the U.S. from Europe as a hedging material. The plants form dense thickets in forests, yards, and parks — crowding out native plants and displacing shrubs and small trees where many species of birds nest, according to the state DNR.

Cover photo: File / Licensed via Canva