Approximately 800 goats are being deployed to the beloved Nose Hill Park in Calgary. It’s a natural solution to a vegetation overcrowding problem, one that’s been utilized before.
This year, the City of Calgary has enlisted the goats to once again chow down on the weeds and native fescue grasses growing in the park.
These grasses evolved alongside the buffalo and bison in Alberta, which have sadly waned in the province due to overhunting.
The next best solution is goats, which, as a pack of 800, can do some pretty sizeable damage to a weeding and dead vegetation issue at Nose Hill.
These goats are highly trained and specialized in reducing woody brush in agricultural and park spaces. Deployed to Nose Hill, the City figures they’ll be able to munch enough to do some serious damage in about two weeks.
That means you’ll only have about 14 days to see these bearded machines in action. You’ll also get a chance to spot the shepherd and herding dogs who have been hired to keep watch over the goats 24/7.
What to expect
With coyotes and other predators often spotted in the park, keeping the goats safe is a top priority.
The City of Calgary claim that the goats are an environmentally friendly, natural, and chemical-free solution to manage invasive plant species in the park. Their droppings are also a hearty, natural fertilizer, and their hooves encourage aeration for the soil.
It’s a pretty ingenious (and cute) solution to a problem that is currently threatening native plants in their habitat.
The area will be fenced off, along with some pathways of Nose Hill Park, to ensure the safety of the goats. You won’t be able to physically interact with these friendly four-legged farm animals, but you can spy on them from a distance with your phone or a camera with a long lens.
The City has asked Calgarians to keep a respectful distance from the goats, avoid touching the fences used to contain them, and keep their dogs controlled to avoid conflict with the herding, working dogs.
Come on down to the ridge and check out this environmentally friendly solution in action. The goats are baaaaaaack!
When: Wednesday, Aug. 13 to Wednesday, Aug. 27
Where: Nose Hill Park — 6465 14th St. NW
Cost: Free
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