Dallas, Texas – The City of Dallas is using an eco-friendly way to deal with invasive plants in White Rock Lake, which is an unusual but carefully designed scene. A herd of 260 goats will be sent to the east side of the lake starting on Thursday, February 5, to assist stop the spread of invasive privet.
Dallas Park and Recreation is in charge of the project, which is focused on the grassland region between the Bath House and Cultural Center. The goats will graze on about 11.5 acres for about a week, focusing on dense patches of privet that can take over native plants and disrupt the local ecosystem.
The goats are coming from Fort Worth on Thursday between 10 a.m. and noon. They will be unloaded and start working right away. To make sure the grazing is safe and effective, personnel will deploy an electric fence that they will move every day. Every day, the goats will be taken to a new area that is between one and one and a half acres in size. They will be able to entirely clean the plants before moving on.
A shepherd will be on site every day and night during the project to keep an eye on the herd, control their movement, and make sure everyone is safe. City authorities claim that this kind of close supervision is very important for keeping the operation running smoothly and safely in a busy public space.
Dallas Park and Recreation workers said that using goats is better for the environment than using machines or chemicals in the usual way. Goats eat invasive plants like privet without any help from people. They can even go to places where machinery can’t. Their grazing helps reduce the need for herbicides, lowers fuel use, and minimizes disturbance to the soil.
Brett Johnson, the department’s conservation manager and a certified biologist, is expected to be available to discuss the ecological advantages of the approach. City officials claim that programs like this help restore habitats over time and provide locals an opportunity to see how to manage land in a way that is good for the environment.
The goal of the grazing operation is not only to get rid of unwanted plants, but also to encourage the growth of native plants around White Rock Lake, which will help keep the area’s natural beauty for future seasons.
