Tackling Nasty Invasive Plants with Goats!

Morris Plains has made a commitment to combat invasive plants. One of the best ways of fighting invasive plants is also one of the oldest - goats. The town’s Beautification Committee had a remarkable success last summer, starting to rid our parks and open spaces of these plants. Goats eat invasives like knotweed, mug wart, buckhorn, and poison ivy. By eating the leaves and stems, more light and air can reach native plants and grass, helping them to thrive. These native plant species will then attract pollinators that are vital for landscape health. Making for an all-around win.

So now the goats, rented from Neighborhood Farms located in Asbury, New Jersey, are back for a second year and they are hard at work. It is interesting to note that the farm doesn’t often get calls from municipalities. Morris Plains is one of very few who are using goats to get rid of invasive plants and they are not sure why this is. Large estate owners provide most of their business. So, Morris Plains remains in the forefront when it comes to ecologically sound invasive plant removal.

The goats provide a natural and sustainable method of weed control. They eat a significant portion of their body weight daily and their digestive system helps to destroy seeds, preventing future weed growth. Continual re-browsing of some invasive plants may also weaken them through carbohydrate starvation. Additionally, their manure is a great natural fertilizer.

So many of the familiar plants we see in our open spaces, along roadsides, and in fields are not native to New Jersey at all and cause great ecological harm. These invasives grow out of control because they have no diseases or predators controlling their spread, and deer usually don't eat them. Additionally, invasives that grow next to buildings and driveways can cause a considerable amount of structural damage.

Coordinating the project is committee member Chris Graziano who last year researched farms in the area that offer goat services. The low bidder was Neighborhood Farms. They come this year and set up a solar powered electric fenced area next to the pond at the Morris Plains Community Park. The fence is moved periodically during a three-week period to cover the entire weed-filled area. Morris Plains Beautification Committee Chair, Nancy Critchley stated that, “the goats eat almost EVERYTHING, and they are unbelievably cute, too! Most of the goats are pretty friendly and quite intelligent, and they each have unique personalities.”

It is important for residents and visitors to the park who want to observe the goats in action to realize that it is NOT a petting zoo and that the electric fencing can give quite a shock. The goats need to be left alone to do their job.