Calgary's grazing goat garburators may be coming back this summer

Last year the City of Calgary launched a pilot program using a herd of goat garburators to help keep the city free of weeds.

For three weeks, the goats grazed in Confluence Park (West Nose Creek Park), top to manage invasive plants in parks.

Calgary’s goats grazing in a rocky area of the park (City of Calgary)

The pilot program was a success and the goats should be coming back this summer as long as the program can pass the cities 3 separate bylaws of land use, responsible pet ownership and the parks bylaw.

Last year’s goat meet-and-greet went well, with hoards of people coming out to see the fun loving grazers on July 9, 2016.

The 106 weed-eating goats as well as their shepherd, four dogs, two horses and a tiny house will most likely return to Confluence Park for another year of goat grazing this summer. The pilot project cost the city half of what it would cost to do single treatment with backpack sprayers.

Calgary Parks is reviewing the project to see if the program could be expanded to other City parks.

More info: calgary.ca/goats