Goats in the EcoPark System

A unique local project comparing different invasive species management techniques has been gaining national attention this summer. A team of students from McMaster University and Niagara College have been herding ‘eco-goats’ through the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club’s (HNC) Sheelah Dunn Dooley Nature Sanctuary, removing common buckthorn, dog strangling vine, multiflora rose, and other introduced plant species along the way.  

Invasive plants establish quickly and easily on both disturbed and undisturbed sites, causing widespread negative environmental impacts. For Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System partners, invasive species are turning rich habitats into ones dominated by a single species.  The purpose of this project is to compare the long-term effectiveness of managing invasive species through goat grazing and traditional mechanical techniques such as manual removal and girdling.

The Sheelah Dunn Dooley Nature Sanctuary, a 22-hectare property in Burlington’s Bridgeview Valley Environmentally Significant Area, lies in the heart of the EcoPark System. The property enhances an important north-south ecological corridor between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario Watersheds, a biodiversity hotspot with nearly a quarter of Canada’s native plant life.

 To begin restoring the biodiversity of the nature sanctuary, students determined appropriate research plots for invasive species removal. The efforts of three goats and 152 volunteer were monitored on these sites throughout the summer. The goats worked 251 hours, while the volunteers contributed 3,500 hours to the removal (and eating) of invasive species.  

Although it is too early in the project to determine which technique is most effective, the goats did provide outreach and education opportunities. Nearly 250 neighbouring property owners and volunteers from the Hamilton and Burlington area attended a series of summer events and, not only contributed to the removal of invasive species in the nature sanctuary, but learned how to remove buckthorn, dog strangling vine, multiflora rose, and other introduced plant species at home.

The HNC has been protecting nature and promoting public awareness and appreciation of the natural environment since 1919. With the help of eco-goats and volunteers, HNC is looking forward by helping EcoPark System partners better understand what role goats and neighbouring landowners can play in their own invasive species removal projects.