Goats at Tyler Arboretum Will "Act as Sustainable Land Managers", says Executive Director

MEDIA, Pa. - May 18, 2016 - PRLog -- Arriving on May 25, 2016, the goats will be eating weeds at Tyler Arboretum for the entire growing season: from the end of May until mid to late September, or until there are no weeds left for them to eat

Of the goats' arrival, Tyler Arboretum's Executive Director, Cricket Brien, says "We're bringing goats to Tyler to use as sustainable land managers, to rid our meadows of invasive and successional weeds."

"Because goats are browsers-closer to deer than cows-they would rather eat brush and weeds than grass; they will eat weeds such as multi-flora rose, sapling trees, and the vines that have taken root in our meadows." says Brien.

The Arboretum will use a long-season browsing strategy for the goats: the goats will browse in large paddocks over the entire growing season, continuously eating re-sprouted weeds and brush. Research shows this strategy can effectively eradicate invasive plants such as multi-flora rose in one season

The goats will live in paddocks along the Arboretum's Scenic Loop, which is a short walk from the Visitor Center.

The Tyler herd will be made up of three kinds of goats: Nubian, LaMancha, and Swiss goats, all of which are neutered males, known as wethers. The goats are hand-raised from birth and interact well with people, coming when called by their owners, Anne and Larry Cihanek. The goats spend the winter in Rhinebeck, NY, and travel up and down the east coast in summer for 'grazing gigs'.

Mike Karkowski, Tyler Arboretum's Director of Horticulture says "Visitors may be wondering why we're using goats instead of spraying with herbicides. The kind of herbicide applications necessary to control all the invasive growth in our meadows would also kill the plants we wish to keep, so goats are the ideal solution."

By using goats instead of sprays, Tyler promotes ecological diversity in its meadows and woodlands. In turn, this diversity supports abundant wildlife across the Arboretum's 650 acres and 17 miles of trails.

"Goats help the land because they're a broad-spectrum solution to weeds: they enhance the environment instead of harming it" says Executive Director, Cricket Brien. "Goats eat, poop, and move on. Goats will ignore many of our native meadow plants and grasses in preference to weeds, successional woody, and invasive plants. And goat droppings provide nutrient rich organic matter that improves the soil."

"Our goal in bringing goats to Tyler is to evaluate their success as low impact natural land managers in our meadows." Says Tyler's Board President, Shipley A. Allinson. "This way, we'll learn whether to consider them as part of our longer term approach to invasive and successional plant control."

Asked if it's true that goats will eat tin cans, Tyler's Director of Public Programs, Amy Mawby says "Goats have the reputation of eating everything, but that isn't true. They prefer to eat twigs and leaves first, and they largely ignore grass unless they're really hungry. Certain species of plants, such as rhododendrons, shrubs like Pieris and Mountain Laurel; yew and wild cherry; perennials such as monkshood, Datura, and lily of the valley; burning bush, and milkweed-will make goats sick."

The goats are coming to Tyler from Green Goats, LLC., Rhinebeck, NY, and will live in paddocks at Tyler Arboretum throughout the summer months. Visitors are encouraged to visit the goats as often as possible, and to help give them names.

Fun facts about goats include:

·         Goats have hair, which grows continuously, rather than fur, which sheds seasonally.

·         Mohair fiber comes from Angora goats, and cashmere comes from a variety of breeds grown mostly in mountainous regions in Asia. Angora goats have long hair that can be made into strong, beautiful yarns for luxurious fabrics. Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats, and was first discovered in Kashmir, hence the name.

·         Female goats are called does; male goats are called bucks. The babies are called kids. Most kids are born in early spring, from February to April.

·         Goats are highly social and get depressed if left alone.

·         There are six main breeds of dairy goat in the United States, with milk production ranging from 2 to 3 gallons of milk a day, compared to up to 8 gallons per day (which is roughly 128 glasses of milk) per day for cows. Many people find goat milk is easier on their digestive system. Goat milk is also used to make cheese and fine quality soap.

·         Goats are grazing prey animals, so they have side-slanted eyes with horizontal pupils. Round pupils, like ours, dogs, and large cats belong to day time predators. Sideways eyes produce a much wider field of vision, giving goats a greater ability to detect predators. The shape of their pupils also allows them to take in more light.

The goats will remain at Tyler Arboretum until mid to late September, or until there are no weeds left for them to eat.

RECAP: Goats at Tyler Arboretum, May 25, 2016 - until mid-to-late September.

Opening times: Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm;
Saturday - Sunday: 9 am - 6 pm.

Admission: Tyler Members: FREE

Non-members: Adults (16 to 64): $11; Seniors (65+): $9;
Children (ages 3-15): $7. Children under the age of 3: free.

Tyler Arboretum, 515 Painter Road, Media, PA 19063

T: 610-566-9134   www.tylerarboretum.org