Goats Help Prevent Grassland Loss to Invasive Trees

A feature in Tri-State Neighbor explains how a combination of targeted grazing and prescribed burns is helping landowners combat invasive tree species causing grassland loss in the Great Plains. The Great Plains Grasslands Extension Partnership reports that the spread of invasive trees like Eastern Red Cedar caused the loss of 17 million acres of grasslands over the past 30 years. The encroaching trees are also contributing to the intensity of wildfires in the area. This news story highlights South Dakota rancher Clinton Rasmusson’s success in controlling the growth of young trees with a herd of goats grazed in portable electric fence. Older trees, by contrast, are most effectively treated with controlled burns.
Related ATTRA publication: Tips for Marketing Sheep and Goat Products: Vegetation Management Services