Humans have at least one group of animal allies in the battle against invasive plant species: goats.
Our Bovidae buddies are more than happy to help when it comes to clearing areas of troublesome weeds, and one Redditor provided photographic evidence.
"The park near me hires goats to keep invasive species under control," they captioned a picture on the r/goats subreddit.
Goats have incredible appetites and can blitz through knotted and tangled landscapes in little time. That's why more people are turning to "goatscaping," which is the hiring of goats to come to a patch of land to get rid of unwanted greenery. Thankfully, goat owners seem keen to allow their animals to enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet.
"I've always wanted to do this - rent my goats out to people," one Redditor said. "I've had people ask me, but their fencing wasn't adequate."
Using herbicides on unwanted plants is generally advised against because of the toxic chemicals they contain, which can affect the health of other plant life and damage soil. What's more, the toxins could also find their way to water sources after heavy rain or flooding.
Some invasive species are more difficult to remove than others, with English ivy a notable issue. While goats won't be able to solve the problem totally, their ability to strip leaves and chow down can make the process of ripping up vines and finding persistent roots a bit easier.
Many gardeners might be tempted to plant English ivy because of the fairytale aesthetic it brings, but it will quickly grow and spread, likely to levels where it's difficult to control. That's why it's always important to find out which native plants are better for where you live.
Not only will native plants be better suited to the environment and be easier to deal with, but they will also help the local ecosystem by bringing pollinators, which is critical for food crops.
Redditors were impressed with the cleanup crew, with one user describing them as "Goat busters."
"Gonna tell my husband I'm hiring goats not buying them," added another.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
