Gischlar is a spokespman for the Maryland Highway Administration who helped launch a project that uses goats, rather than pesticides, to eradicate weeds from state-owned land. Why goats?
When we were building the Hampstead Bypass in Carroll County we discovered there was a bog that contained a federally-threatened turtle, so we shifted the alignment of the road to go around the bog. Then we had all this land that we couldn’t maintain with machines because it is so swampy, and we didn’t want to use chemicals. But if we left it alone, the invasive species of weeds would eventually take it over and destroy the bog. So one of our guys came up with the idea of using goats.
Where do you get the goats?
We have a herd of about 40 goats — which local schoolchildren named the “Bypass Babies” — that we lease from a local farmer. The herd has been on the job in Carroll County for about three years now, and they are doing a terrific job of keeping invasive species succession at bay. We usually bring them in on the first of May and they go back to the farm in September or October.
How much do the goats cost?
It’s a worthwhile investment. It’s about $10,000 a year for eight acres of land, and the farmer comes every couple of weeks to check on the goats and feed them supplements. So we’re very happy with this, and we are going to keep using these animals as our lawn mowers.
Is the highway agency considering employing goats over mowers elsewhere?
We are considering using them elsewhere, but we have to make sure they wouldn’t be a distraction on the side of the road… If there’s a hole in the fence, there will be goats all over the highway. So we are identifying areas where it would be cost-effective and safe.
Hayley Peterson
