Two Nigerian dwarf goats named Jimmy and Bubbles have solved an environmental problem for Elizabeth Goodspeed of Cape Elizabeth and they just might be a solution for other properties around town, she says.
Invasive plants were threating to over Goodspeed’s yard. As beekeepers and staunch environmentalists, she and her husband wanted to combat that growth in a natural, non-chemical way.
Enter Jimmy and Bubbles. The goats have done such a good job attacking the Oriental bittersweet and Japanese barberry plants on her own property that Goodspeed, who serves on the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust board, thinks they could also be used to help clear invasive plants from land trust properties around town.
The Goodspeeds’ yard, near the land trust’s Robinson Woods, was overcome with invasive species when they purchased it in 2013, she said this week. “(And I’ve had) an ongoing battle against bittersweet, Japanese barberry, black swallow-wort, Japanese honeysuckle, and wisteria that jumped the fence” ever since.
“My rationale for getting goats was that they could help me conquer the invasives without using herbicides. My husband and I keep bees on our property, so we avoid using herbicides and pesticides at all costs,” she said. “In particular, the goats are great with Japanese barberry, which is so thorny that I can barely touch it with gloves on.”
But, she added, it’s “no problem for Jimmy and Bubbles. They mow down a bush in no time.”
Cindy Krum, the executive director of the Cape land trust, said this week that although the group “has not really tried it in any organized manner, we think (using goats could be) an innovative way to deal with invasive species” on land trust properties.
Founded in 1985 the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust has now preserved 650 acres of land on 29 separate parcels, which “represent the varied ecology of our seaside town,” according to the land trust’s website.
Those properties include the “146 acres of mature forest, fields and ponds within Robinson Woods, and miles of trails along marshlands, ponds and streams,” the website adds.
Like many owners of large expanses of land, the land trust finds itself in a constant battle with invasive plant species. In fact several times this summer the trust has held invasive species removal work sessions at Robinson Woods.
Goodspeed got the two goats last June, when they were just 8 weeks old. Each goat now weighs about 65 pounds, but they are relatively short, only reaching about knee height, she said.
In describing her goats, Goodspeed called them “short and stout little boys.” Both are neutered males. The Nigerian dwarf goat is a miniature goat species that’s often used in dairying, according to the American Goat Federation.
Goodspeed said that in addition to being great at controlling invasive plant growth, the goats are also extremely intelligent and affectionate.
“I was surprised at how intelligent the goats are,” she said. “For example, they learned how to open their barn door, which is something our dog, a retired greyhound, would never do.”
Due to the persistence of the goats in opening the barn door, the Goodspeeds were forced to install a special lock.
“I also underestimated how affectionate they are and how much they crave human interaction,” she said. “They will curl up in your lap and fall asleep, even though they are now over 60 pounds.”
As for using goats to control unwanted plants, Goodspeed said this week that “airports, cemeteries, electric (transmission) companies, etc., have used them in recent years to remove invasive species, clear land and remove brush for fire prevention. You would need to make sure that the property to be cleared doesn’t contain any plants that are poisonous to goats, such as lily of the valley and milkweed.
“In addition, a really solid fence system is critical. The fence not only keeps the goats in, but more importantly keeps predators out. In this area the biggest threat to goats is dogs, which often view the goats as prey.”
Goodspeed said that finding ways to eliminate invasive plants can be “a tricky dilemma.”
While there’s no doubt that the presence of such plant species “harms Maine’s habitat by out-competing native plants, removal doesn’t come without cost.”
Cape Elizabeth resident Elizabeth Goodspeed with her goats, Jimmy and Bubbles. She uses them to combat invasive plants on her property and hopes they could be useful to the local land trust, as well.
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