Wisconsin goats eat invasive plants in Calumet woods

CALUMET, Mich. (WLUC) – Goats grazed in Calumet’s Swedetown Recreation Area forests on Saturday morning,

The Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) works with the Houghton, Hancock, and the Keweenaw tri-county area to stop invasive species from growing. Families were invited to greet the goats from a Wisconsin farm. The goats are part of the Regenerative Ruminants service, which provides a group of goats that clear brush. People could also learn about the invasive glossy buckthorn. Researchers said the plant can take over a native forest habitat.

KISMA coordinator and Michigan Tech University researcher assistant professor Sigrid Resh said native species don’t eat the plant. She also calls the glossy buckthorn a “woody invasive” species, she also mentions how it displaces the native hardwood forests. Her team is in its second year of the research project, deciding whether goats can eat buckthorn. Resh hoped to find a different way to combat invasive plants instead of using chemicals like pesticides. She said even the plants people bring into their gardens impact the woods.

“Japanese barberry, that’s used as a landscaping species, can still be bought at places like Walmart,” Resh said. “Those are escaping your yard and coming into our forests and changing the habitat.”

She said people can help at home by replacing invasive plants with native ones.

Copyright 2024 WLUC. All rights reserved.