Boston Using Goats to Combat Poison Ivy, Invasive Plants in Park

Boston is getting help from some four-legged friends in its fight against poison ivy, buckthorn, Japanese knotweed and other invasive plants growing in a Boston park.

A small herd of goats is at West Street Urban Wild in Hyde Park taking part in a “sustainable approach to landscape management.”

“Goats are an eco-friendly way to regulate overgrowth and manage pests and weeds, while giving nutrients back to the earth,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “I’m pleased that the Parks Department is innovating in their lot care, and I look forward to seeing the results of the goat’s work.”

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department is working with the Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation (SWBCDC) and The Goatscaping Company of Duxbury and Plymouth. 

The idea came from Hyde Park Green Team, a group of teenagers in the SWBCDC’s environmental education and job readiness program. They approached Walsh, who was interested in the idea and directed them to Interim Parks Commissioner Chris Cook.

Goats are already being used on Boston’s Harbor Islands and other states and cities have found the benefit of having goats manage overgrown and invasive vegetation.

“They do their work quietly and without disturbance, unlike expensive and noisy machinery, or herbicides which can be toxic. There is no hauling or dumping of debris as the goats eat the invasive plants, digest them removing harmful seeds and oils, and then deposit a clean and odorless natural fertilizer back into the landscape. They are also tick resistant, reduce the risk of wildfires, and do not damage the soil thanks to their small hooves,” according to Mayor Walsh’s office.

Four goats are living at the West Street Urban Wild for eight weeks. They are fenced in and have a small hut.

The public is allowed to visit the goats, but people are asked to not pet them. They will have poison ivy oils on their fur from all the poison ivy munching.