Goats In The Garden Project

But…WHY?

The 3-acre Native Texas Boardwalk (NTB) area at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden currently includes exotic invasive plant species such as privet, nandina, and photinia as well as aggressive native plant species such as cherry laurel, greenbriar, and muscadine. These unwanted species have spread through the area, outcompeting and negatively impacting mature trees and outpacing our ability to control them. Historically, natural processes such as fires, flooding, and grazing together maintained the ecological balance of native Texas forests. So in the absence of resident grazing animals here at the Garden, we’re hoping a borrowed band of browsing goats will fill this ecosystem gap and help tip the management scales back in our favor.

Goat herd grazing is a management strategy already in practice by nature centers, airports, ranches, and private residences in Texas and other states. Research shows positive impacts of goat grazing, including decreased fire fuels, increased species diversity, and soil enriched by goat waste. The benefits of selectively allowing goats to graze on our site should include fewer manhours devoted to manual and mechanical invasive species removal and reduced or eliminated use of motorized and heavy equipment operations, thereby reducing emissions and providing a quieter, more positive experience for guests.