NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. — City officials say Creekview Park in the City of New Brighton will soon have a solution to the growing amount of invasive buckthorn over its 10 acres: goats.
New Brighton Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Fink released a statement Friday afternoon, saying the state's Department of Agriculture granted the city $5,000 to bring in a herd of goats, aiming to deal with its buckthorn problem in an eco-friendly way.
The news was met with enthusiasm from city leaders, including council member Emily Dunsworth, who says she's "extremely excited to see the goats in action."
“As the Council representative to the Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission, I am thrilled to see the City’s increased efforts at controlling these invasive species in such a unique way.”
You can catch a glimpse of the new kids on the block outside a fenced barrier, which is meant to keep them safely contained within the park, beginning April 18.
City officials say the use of goats is an eco-friendly, non-chemical way to successfully remove the plants. The animals are able to do this by eating the plants themselves, while also consuming seed stems. The city says buckthorn can't sprout from consumed seeds, as they can't survive the passage through a goat's digestive tract.
If you seem to recall another metro city saying buckthorn gets its goat, you're right. Last year, Lebanon Hills Regional Park set 150 goats loose to control the invasive plant.
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