Fighting fire with goats

Bega Valley Shire Council is trialling the use of goats to reduce bushfire hazards in areas of hard to access public land.

The goats are owned and managed by Rent-A-Ruminant (Herds for Hire), a local company who supply the herd for weed and vegetation control.

The goats are contained by a portable electric fence that can be set up in a few hours and tailored to a size that suits each location.

“Goats have been used successfully both in the shire and interstate for a range of weed and hazard reduction jobs,” BVSC Natural Assets Officer, Andrew Morrison said.

“Council maintains about 50km of asset protection zones throughout the shire. These zones help protect properties from bushfires by allowing access for emergency services and creating a reduced fuel zone which lessens fire intensity.

“Asset protection zones are generally slashed to reduce fuel loads in reserves adjacent to houses and other assets but some areas are too awkward to get a machine onto.

“We’ve looked at other methods of reducing fuel loads in areas that are steep, rocky or with high weed numbers, and believe that a well-managed herd of goats may prove to be a good option in terms of hazard reduction, weed suppression and cost.

“The goats are currently being trialled in the area of plantings between the BEND Development and the Old Bega Racecourse. This area is difficult to manage with machinery as it’s hard to get in under the plantings without damaging the trees. Flooding in recent years has also left debris like fencing wire and logs that can be a big problem for slashers and mowers.

“The trees and shrubs are a good size on this site, so the goats won’t harm them, and once the grass has been knocked down the goats will be taken off,” Mr Morrison said.

For more information visit Bega Valley Shire Council