Graze Anatomy

The goats are gone, but they might be invited back for an encore.

According to Haverford College arboretum manager Bill Astifan, the school regards its experiment with the four-legged landscaping crew as such a success that it will likely bring them back to campus for future cleanup jobs.

“We’re looking at the benefits, but I think we will probably bring them in for work on other areas as well,” Astifan said, adding that the animals proved to be “unobtrusive” and met and exceeded his expectations.

The school rented the herd, 29 in all, from Eco-Goats—a Maryland-based vegetation control service that rents the animals out to businesses overrun by invasive flora.

The animals make for a crack landscaping crew: according to Eco-Goats, they can graze in difficult to reach places and are willing to stomach a wide range of vegetarion, including Poison Ivy, Kudzu, Oriental Bittersweet, Ailanthus, Multiflora Rose, Japanese Honeysuckle, and Mile-A-Minute, among others.

Astifan said the school decided to use the service in the spring, when it found it had to clear some woods as part of a stream bank restoration. A conversation with a local architect led them to Eco-Goats.

“The more I looked into it, the better it sounded,” he said.

And when the herd finally showed, it didn't disappoint. Astifan said the goats were problem free, and the only surprise they provided was how popular they became around town.

“There’s been a pretty steady stream of people coming through to look at them. It wasn't something we were trying to advertise," Astifan said.

"It was quite the attraction.”