Toronto and Mississauga use goats to control invasive species

Some GTA municipalities, including Toronto and Mississauga, are turning to goat keeping to control invasive species around wetlands.

In a press release issued Friday, the City of Mississauga said it is the first municipality in the GTA to implement prescribed grazing with goats as part of a trial during the Invasive Species Awareness Fair in late May.

“The city is using prescribed goat grazing, a new and unique approach to managing invasive plant species, to restore habitats around one of Mississauga’s wetlands,” according to a news release issued by the city on Friday.

“Prescribed grazing is a method of using livestock to manage various problems in habitats suitable for grazing.”

About 50 goats are being repurposed to graze invasive plant species, including non-native thistles and reeds.

“Less than one per cent of Mississauga is wetland habitat, so protecting the remaining wetlands is a priority for the City. Managing invasive plant species will help restore the wetland in O’Connor Park, create better habitat for local wildlife, increase biodiversity and improve overall wetland function,” the press release continued.

“Using goats to manage unwanted vegetation and invasive species has many benefits, including reducing fuel emissions from pruning equipment, reducing herbicide use, and managing areas that are not easily accessible, such as slopes.”

Last month, the City of Toronto reported that it too had brought in a specialized “eco-herd” of goats to the pasture at Don Valley Brick Works Park to conduct an “intensive two-day grazing session” to address “woody and invasive plant species.”

“Prescribed grazing offers the City an opportunity to introduce a new, integrated management tool to help sustain the urban rangeland ecosystem,” the City of Toronto says on its website.