Town Turns To Goats For Environmentally Friendly Landscaping

BEDFORD, NY — Job satisfaction is hard to come by in this economy, but for these cloven hoof experts on regenerative land management, hard work is its own reward (and dinner to boot).

Bedford will explore alternatives to chemical herbicides and fertilizers to remove invasive plant species on municipally-owned green spaces. The Bedford Town Board voted to ask the Bedford Planning Board to review the potential code change regarding targeted vegetation management using goats and sheep.

The move came at the request of Bedford 2030, the familiar grassroots group with an ambitious goal of ushering the local community to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2040.

Bedford 2030 director Midge Iorio told the board that her group has already tackled some of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, buildings and transportation, but that isn’t enough. She told town board members that it's time to get creative.

"Tap into the power of our natural world," Iorio suggested at the March 1 meeting. "What we’re calling natural climate solutions or rooted solutions to help us achieve our climate action goals. And our natural world and our natural systems can help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We need to increase biodiversity, we need to protect our natural resources, and in particular, our tree canopy because we know that our trees have one of the most important natural systems; our trees can capture and store carbon. And we want to shift to climate-friendly land practices.”

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Specifically, Iorio wants Bedford to put goats on the payroll — at least temporarily.

Goats have a unique ability to clear land of invasive species, while also fertilizing, mulching and aerating the soil, with no chemicals required. As an added bonus, goats offer a cheaper and more regenerative form of land restoration.

Traditional pesticides and herbicides put toxins into our ecosystems and watershed, while machines used to clear brush and compact soil create less water absorption and more runoff. Gas-powered equipment pollutes the air.

But hungry goats are just, well, goats.

Iorio noted that invasive vines are a big problem in Bedford. The vines are choking out natural plants and displacing insects. She warned that biodiversity issues can lead directly to larger climate issues.

A herd of vine-munching goats is already living nearby in Bedford. Proponents say employing the goats will also create an opportunity for education. Plans to bring the goats to elementary schools to talk about natural climate solutions and climate change are already being discussed.

There are still a few hurdles to jump through before the herd is allowed to join the ranks. Current code allows for keeping goats and sheep, but it’s limited to a certain number per acre and a certain type of fencing that is not currently permitted.