Two dozen goats will be dining on 1.5 acres of land overrun by kudzu, an invasive, non-native vine sometimes called “the demon of the South”.
Looking for an environmentally-friendly way to eliminate the pesky plant, Trees Atlanta, a nonprofit group with a mission to add more greenspace to the city, turned loose the goats to gobble up the kudzu, clearing the way for a new park and future tree plantings.
“Goats offer a low-impact solution for controlling invasive plants on sites that do not contain sensitive or endangered plants as well as on steeply sloped properties,” Trees Atlanta Forest Restoration Coordinator, Blake Watkins, said in a statement. “Each goat can eat 150 — 200 square feet of kudzu per day, so we expect the goats to clear this site in twenty-one days or less.”
The group opened the restricted area to curiosity seekers this morning offering a “Breakfast With the Goats” to discuss the project with residents.
The animals, because of their unique 4-cavity digestive system, will not leave behind any trace of the kudzu seeds or berries in their waste.
(READ more in Creative Loafing, Atlanta)
Yay for goaties!