Goats baaack at Raleigh park to work, help clear invasive plants: 'Don't try to pet'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Nearly three dozen goats are grazing at Dix Park in Raleigh to help clear invasive plants and trees along a difficult-to-reach section of the Rocky Branch Greenway Trail.

The goats are working in a hilly, steep and rocky area that park staff says is challenging for crews to manage.

More than 30 goats will continue to feed on vegetation in that section through Monday, drawing attention from visitors passing by the fenced grazing area.

"We saw the signs first that said they would be around, and I was looking and didn't see any goats, and smelled them at first and then happened to walk by again. And then all of a sudden, here they are!" said Godfrey Griffin of Raleigh.

Stephen Paul is the owner of Goats on the Go Raleigh-Durham. He says the animals provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional clearing methods.

"You're not using any herbicide or pesticide to deal with what you need to deal with, coupled with the fact that when goats eat seeds, they destroy a majority of the seeds in that room," said Paul.

The goats have previously been used at Dix Park, including clearing a major section that made way for one of the park's troll statues. After completing their current assignment, they are expected to move to another part of the park later this summer.

"In between Olmsted Drive and Biggest Drive, we have a section of railroad track where we would really, or we will focus on next," said Seth Klopp, the park's operations superintendent.

Officials remind visitors that the animals are working and should not be approached.

"Even if a goat might want to present itself, if you have some food scraps, it's important to keep your distance from those goats just because there is an electric fence there," Paul said.

"Don't try to pet the goats. They are at work and we just want to keep a safe distance away," Klopp added.

After leaving Dix Park on Monday, the goats will head to the Carolina Tiger Rescue animal sanctuary in Pittsboro to clear space outside big cat enclosures before returning to Dix Park later this summer.

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