It’s no petting zoo, these animals have a job to do

Goats are coming to Freedom Park. No, they are not starting a petting zoo at the park. These goats will have a job to do – to eat! Goats are a great way to help restore the globally-rare bluff prairie at Freedom Park that has become clogged with overgrowth and invasive plants._ Israel Haas is the executive director of the Great River Road Visitor & Learning Center at Freedom Park. He says, “Many people don’t realize that we’re sitting on a precious resource. The goat prairie is a globally rare habitat. Our bluff looks a little like a jungle right now. It’s overgrown and full of invasive species. That’s why I’m very excited about what goats could do for the bluff. They’re fun to watch, eco-friendly, and efficient. And they’ll help us restore this precious resource.”

A bluff prairie provides important nesting and resting places for migratory birds and pollinators, which have suffered massive declines in the last 50 years. More than 325 species of birds migrate every year along the Mississippi River Flyway, but over 2.5 billion of these migratory birds have been lost since 1970. This amounts to a 30% loss in population. Freedom Park is doing its part to care for birds such as indigo buntings, Eastern bluebirds, yellow warblers, Baltimore orioles, and more. Eradicating invasive plants, cultivating native species, and managing the site through grazing and controlled burns will make the goat prairie an ideal place for these neo-tropical songbirds to stop on their journey.

That is where the goats come in. When the bluff gets overgrown, it is difficult to manage due to the steep and rugged terrain._ Goats have no problem on the bluff’s steep decline and love to eat the invasive plants they can reach within their portable fencing. Goats are_a preferred solution because they work fast, penetrate tough-to-reach areas easily, and are eco-friendly. Funding and permits will need to be obtained before the goats can be employed on the bluff, but they are the top candidate for the job right now.

Prairie bluff restoration is one of the park's top priority projects._This project will continue through 2029 with an estimated total cost of $69,700. It_will showcase the successful preservation of a rare plant community for the more than 16,000 guests from all over the world who visit Freedom Park in a normal year.__ If you resonate with this effort, love prairie restoration, or maybe just want to be able to say you bought a goat, you can donate to the cause next week, August 15-22, during Freedom Park’s virtual 'Sunset Soirée' fundraiser. This is Freedom Park’s annual fundraiser featuring many silent auction experiences and items to choose from._Visit freedomparkwi.org_to learn more about how to fund a goat and support the Great River Road Visitor & Learning Center._