A crew of 220 goats has returned to the Roaring Fork Valley to help chomp down pesky weeds on the Rio Grande Trail the old-fashioned way — without herbicides and other chemicals.
The goats have been munching on a 4-mile section south of Glenwood Springs for the last week. After they finish there, the goats will be moved to another 4-mile section near Carbondale.
This is the second year the Colorado-based Green Goat LLC has been contracted by Roaring Fork Transit Authority for a weed management alternative. RFTA started mulling over the goat option early last year, noting that trail users were concerned about herbicides being sprayed on weeds.
In addition to eating weeds, goats also fertilize the soil and provide additional weed control, said Green Goat co-owner Donny Benz. The goats’ manure provides organic fertilizer, and seeds from those undesirable weeds won’t germinate after having gone through the goats’ digestive systems.
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