Why Hire Goats?

A Cycle of Health:  In our Santa Barbara County, fire is a real issue that confronts us throughout the year. It is an inevitable occurrence, and in some instances, healthy for the land. However, in our populated areas, we are more than aware of its devastation. Brush Goats 4 Hire manages goats through ‘Target Browsing’ to help remove fire fuels (excess vegetation, understory litter, ladder fuels, old growth) that contribute to intense fires. ‘Target Browsing’ means the goats are carefully monitored for short periods of time within an enclosed area. This method has been successfully used for erosion control, restoration projects, and fire fuel modification zones.

Various tools are available for vegetation management. Frequently, goats are utilized where bulldozers, masticators and chippers can not go, and sometimes as maintenance tools after machines, men, and even fires have cleared. Whether due to topography, spark hazards, limited access, poison oak, restoration needs, or a variety of other reasons, using goats can be a smart choice. Weed whacker, though quick and inexpensive, only shorten then scatter the pieces. Goats remove more vegetation then weed whackers. Goats clean and ‘recycle’ materials back into the land. Their hoof action, while aerating, works dead vegetation into the soil. Their fertilizer adds nutrients. The renewed soil compound leads to improved root systems. Now the native vegetation is able to recover and compete against encroaching invasive plants. The need for herbicides gets eliminated. The land continues to improve. The goat’s contribution to this cycle of health creates ‘living greenbelts’ with less dead material, leaving renewed and healthy soil. Life is meant to be healthy.

We highly encourage the creation of larger, defensible spaces around homes and properties. This space is perhaps the most important factor in protecting your home, your neighborhood, and those that defend it during a fire. Using goats to create a mosiac that exceeds the minimal clearance requirements is smart. Once that area has been cleared by goats, it becomes much easier to maintain and less of a fire hazard.

Target browsing benefits are many. To name a few:

• Reduce invasive plants and woody vegetation that can fuel wildfires
• Enhance the quality of the soil and plant health
• Reduce the need for spraying harmful chemicals
• No heavy equipment damage or noise
• Easily traverse steep, rocky and difficult terrain
• Provide fire hazard reduction through brush and weed abatement
• Assist with compliance brush clearance codes
• Happy and entertaining workers at a great value
• Provide FREE and organic fertilizer
• Quiet cleaners
• Allow for you and your neighbor’s privacy during clearing

Living Systems Land Management
livingsystemslandmanagement.com