PHOTOS: Goats galore: Hundreds of goats utilized for weed mitigation south of Glenwood Springs
Roughly 800 goats were dropped off at Sutey Ranch between Glenwood and Carbondale last Wednesday for weed mitigation work. Goat Green, LLC from the Front Range spends the spring and summer months traveling throughout the west using the power of goats to conduct weed and fire mitigation. The goats and owner/herder Lani Malmberg have traveled over 7,000 miles since April after spending time in California and the west helping with fire mitigation.
The goats are an alternative method of noxious weed control that is environmentally and rancher friendly. Some of the noxious plants they can consume are hemlock, poison oak, pampas grass, blackberry bushes and thistles.
While knocking down grasses and weeds, the goats are simultaneously tilling, aerating and fertilizing the soil.
The goats were expected to be at Sutey Ranch for seven to 10 days before moving on to their next job in Wyoming.
Visual Journalist Chelsea Self can be reached at 970-384-9108 or cself@postindependent.com
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