It appears that Athens has found a solution to the long-standing problem of overgrowth and an incursion of invasive species bordering its bike path.
According to Katherine Ann Jordan, the director of Athens Arts, Parks and Recreation, several options for clearing the area around the bike path have been tried over the last five years with little success. Among the unsatisfactory attempts included the use of herbicides, and machines to mechanically remove the unwanted growth.
The option of using goats had been explored but had not proved feasible in the past. Enter Hannah Hettinger, who was contact through her association with Goats on the Go, an enterprise that hires various herds to graze in areas that need clearing.
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Hettinger’s herd of 45 goats has recently been clearing pastures eating autumn olive, poison ivy, pokeweed, poison hemlock, and mares’ tail, among others invasive weeds. The goats are kept fenced in while “working” with the fence moved once one section has been cleared so they can move onto another section.
The goal, according to Jordan, is for the goats to clear the area along the path so that it can be used for recreation. Already in that area is a disc golf course that she says needs to be more accessible.
The goats are expected to be clearing land in other nearby areas before the year’s end.
