Medina’s Fairweather Nature Preserve has found a cuddly and innovative way to tackle the park’s persistent overgrown vegetation problem—cute little goats! Thanks to the efforts of the Park Board, Medina Council member, Randy Reeve, and Director of Public Works, Ryan Osada, a herd of 125 goats (and four sheep plus a sheepdog) visited the park for 19 days in late August into early September, bringing an environmentally sound and cost-effective solution for getting rid of invasive plant species.

Historically, maintaining the Fairweather Nature Preserve has been both a budgetary and logistical challenge. The beauty of the natural woods in the middle of our suburban streets is a welcome respite for many residents, but non-native blackberries and English ivy have grown for the most part unchecked. Even with the help of dedicated Park Board and community volunteers who participated in annual cleanups, the woods continued to provide excellent growing space for unwanted invasive plants - strangling the trees loved by so many. Complicating matters, the city’s landscaping budget can’t accommodate fully funding the number of man hours needed for a large-scale, targeted cleanup.

Seeking a more efficient solution, Ryan Osada consulted with Overlake Golf and Country Club, which had used goats for landscape management and fire mitigation with great success. Inspired by their results, Osada and Reeve advocated for bringing goats to Medina. Goats, known for their insatiable appetite for tough vegetation, are an eco-friendly alternative to manual labor and chemical treatments. After discussions with the city, Medina reached out to Healing Hooves, a company specializing in goat-based land management. Healing Hooves, under the parent company of Cloverdale Ranch Inc., has a track record of working with municipalities throughout the region. Although the company was fully booked at first, Medina stayed on the waitlist, and the goats finally arrived this summer.

After a quick set up, the 129 goats and sheep quickly got to work, grazing through the dense blackberry bushes and ivy, clearing out the overgrowth in just two weeks. While they worked, professional herders ensured the goats targeted only the invasive species while leaving native plants untouched. The herders also set up fencing to protect the goats from curious visitors like dogs and their animal-loving owners, ensuring the animals could safely and effectively do their job. The goat-grazing program is part of a four-year contract with Medina, focusing on keeping the park’s invasive species in check and promoting the growth of native plants. Given the goats’ impressive hunger and bottomless tummies, the program has already been deemed a huge success. For approximately the same cost it would have taken to hire one worker for 19 days, the goats did the work of many, successfully clearing the area during their two-week stay.

Beyond the practical benefits, the goats brought joy to the community. Families and park visitors came to watch the goats graze, transforming the project into an educational and fun experience. It turns out that not only are goats effective workers, but they’re also pretty cute to just hang out with while they work. 

Medina’s foray into goat-powered land management may pave the way for more eco-friendly initiatives in the future, proving that sometimes, the best solutions are both efficient and adorable. With a four-year contract in place, the community can look forward to more visits from these hardworking goats, keeping the preserve healthy while providing a unique sight for park-goers to enjoy.