The City of Boulder is welcoming back its favorite four-legged landscapers to Harlow Platts Community Park this week. Beginning Thursday, June 11, approximately 300 goats will arrive at the park to help manage invasive and noxious weeds through Tuesday, June 16.
To celebrate their return, community members are invited to the annual "Meet and Bleat" event on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. This free, family-friendly event offers the opportunity to meet and pet the goats, take photos and learn more about the city’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Please note that the parking lot on the west side of the park (Gillespie Dive near Heidelberg Drive) will be mostly closed off during the event to accommodate event setup and activities.
"Goat grazing helps us manage invasive weeds while creating a unique opportunity for our community to learn about and connect with the public spaces they love," said city Ecology Lead Technician, Ariana DiCocco. “By reducing numbers of noxious weeds, the goats help maintain and support healthy native plant communities.”
This year’s herd comes from local weed management contractors, Goat Bros, LLC, who provide eco-friendly grazing and agricultural services. While on-site the goats will spend the next few days managing (snacking on) noxious weeds throughout the park.
Over the past two decades, goats have successfully contributed to weed management in Boulder at sites such as Boulder Reservoir, Tantra Park, Christensen Park, Gerald Stazio Softball Fields, Maxwell Park and Harlow Platts Community Park. The City of Boulder was one of the first municipalities in the country to create an Integrated Pest Management program and policy. This effort was initiated by city ecologists and vegetation managers and reflects the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
