Sustainability and eradicating buckthorn has been a mantra within Glencoe for years. But those were goals that didn’t require the presence of a goat. At least until now.
On May 6, 22 goats were transported from Wisconsin and took up a one-week residence at Glencoe’s Milton Park eating all the vegetation they wanted. The goats chowed down but they were not kidding around as they were tasked with removing buckthorn and other invasive species.
Horning in on a sustainability goal, the Glencoe Park District recently worked out an agreement with Wisconsin-based The Green Goats, a target grazing business. The company’s owner brought the furry visitors to Milton Park where they devoured grass and other materials in an area laced with buckthorn, honeysuckle, poison ivy other invasive species.
“Buckthorn is their favorite thing to eat,” The Green Goats owner Kim Hunter said, adding it is very nutritious for them.
For the Park District, the love of buckthorn provides a mutually beneficial situation as the more the goats eat, there is less use for chemical herbicides or related materials to remove the invasive species. With future visits and meals for the goats, eradication of the invasive species is possible from the park, according to the Park District.
“We don’t want buckthorn in our parks,” Glencoe Park District Director of Parks and Planning Kyle Kuhs said. “Goats love buckthorn. You bring them together and it is making them happy and helping us.”
Kuhs recalled the origins of the program as the Park District has an internal sustainability committee and they were looking for environmentally-sensitive ways to deal with invasive plants. Through research, Park District staffers contacted Hunter leading to the trip from Green County, WI with the goats on a livestock trailer for the 45-mile drive.
“We were looking for a more sustainable approach to taking care of some of these species,” Kuhs said.
Hunter started her business in 2007 but this was the first time for the goats at a North Shore park.
While the Park Board approved the plan, Kuhs said the Park District informed the neighbors of the area just off Dundee Road of the weeklong coming attraction.
“We wanted to make sure that people that lived right next to a park would know well in advance that there would be goats basically in their backyard,” he said.
The goats of all different colors ranging in age from seven to 14 years. They wander around in a portion of Milton that surrounded by a six foot high chain link fence with security provided by “goat guard” volunteers and additional area patrols of Glencoe Public Safety officers.
The unique presence of the goats has intrigued gawkers of all ages.
Highland Park’s Samantha Karson brought her 18-month-old son Theodore to observe.
“It’s amazing,” Karson noted. “I think it is cool exposure for them and something different.”
Nikki Papazian, also of Highland Park, wanted 22-month old Caleb to see the goats.
“I love that it is something different and sustainable,” she said. “It’s a really cool attraction that we don’t have around here.”
Longtime Glencoe resident Patricia Cohn applauded the sustainability aspect of the program.
“I think it is absolutely sensational,” Cohn said. “It’s green and it is so much better than mowing.”
Kuhs estimated the pilot program would cost the Park District between $3,000 to $4,000.
After the goats leave town on May 10, there will be some cleanup work by Park District crews as they will remove larger parts of the invasive species the goats did not reach. Kuhs added the Park District would potentially bring the goats back to Milton Park this year for additional eating and possibly to other parks in the future following internal discussions on the success of the program.
But for now, the Park District enjoying bringing a new dimension to the village, specifically at one of the area’s passive parks.
“We do exciting things every day,” Park District Spokeswoman Erin Classen said. “But this has been really fun to see the community’s joy in seeing the goats and the park becoming the most popular spot in Glencoe.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
