Goats Are Coming for Prince George's County Grass

Goats will be brought in to help clear invasive plants

Prince George's County will be rolling out a new series of weed whackers - no gas required.

The Department of Public Works and Transportation in Prince George’s County has plans this spring to use goats to remove invasive plant species.

Turning to four-legged landscapers has become a fad in Maryland - municipalities in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel, and St. Mary's have all put goats to work trimming the grass in recent years.

DPW&T says goats are a proven, ecologically sound and environmentally friendly method for combating invasive plant species.  The department says since goats graze on dense, unruly vegetation in the wild, they are well suited for weed control in areas where mechanical and chemical methods have been unsuccessful.

A portable electric fence will be used to contain the goats and 24-hour supervision will be provided for the duration of the treatment.  The goats will be in herds of 25 -30 and will graze all day, on very dense material, clearing approximately a quarter of an acre per day, per herd.

The county will hold a meeting to explain goat-mowing to the public on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., at Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School.

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