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PHOTOS: Goats galore: Hundreds of goats utilized for weed mitigation south of Glenwood Springs

Rosco the goat herding dog keeps a watchful eye as hundreds of goats pile out of the trailers and into the fields at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent

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.

Goat wranglers watch as the goats pile out of the trailer and make their way up to the pasture at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent

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.

A goat jumps out of the trailer before getting to work eating weeds at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
A goat walks around and nibbles on weeds and grasses after being dropped off at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
Lani Malmberg owner of Goat Green, LLC and her herding dog Rosco put up a temporary enclosure to keep the goats in a safe and secure area before moving to a new spot at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
Hundreds of goats were utilized begining last Wednesday at Sutey Ranch to eat grasses and noxious weeds.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
A goat walks around and nibbles on weeds and grasses after being dropped off at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
Lani Malmberg owner of Goat Green, LLC pushes her goats over to a field and away from the parking area at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
A goat walks around and nibbles on weeds and grasses after being dropped off at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
Lani Malmberg owner of Goat Green, LLC sits in the shade while surrounded by grazing goats at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
A goat walks around and nibbles on weeds and grasses after being dropped off at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
Lani Malmberg owner of Goat Green, LLC and her herding dog Rosco sit together in the shade while the goats walk around and graze on grass and weeds at Sutey Ranch.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent

Visual Journalist Chelsea Self can be reached at 970-384-9108 or cself@postindependent.com




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