Goats Graze On Grass To Protect Marin From Wildfires

FAIRFAX, CA – Goats will graze on grass this week to help reduce the risk of wildfires in Marin County. The herd will be on the former Sunnyside Nursery property outside of Fairfax.

Goat grazing is an efficient and cost-effective way to remove potential wildfire fuel from a specific area, in this case the 7.7-acre Sunnyside property. It should take the goats about eight days to clear the vegetation, according to the county.

In order to protect native plant species, the goats will not be allowed to graze on the 1.7-acres of riparian habitat along the bank of Fairfax Creek, according to the county. Staff from the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, which owns the property, will handle the vegetation management for that area.

The Flood Control District partnered with Marin County Parks and FireSafe Marin to conduct the vegetation management operation in and around the undeveloped land at 3000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. The property will eventually become the flood diversion and storage basin site for the future San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction (SAFRR) project.

The Flood Control District is currently working on the design of the flood diversion and storage basin at the Sunnyside site and has met with regulatory agencies for initial feedback, according to the county. The permit applications are expected to be submitted to the agencies later this year. It is anticipated that construction on the property could begin as early as mid-2020.