Population explosion is having a positive effect in Ventura

(Above) CLEAR Project Coordinator Jim Sholly was on hand to visit with those who stopped at McIntosh Woods State Park last week to see the progress goats are making on the landscape.

“Population Explosion! Forty-eight new kids!” exclaims the sign outside the Ventura Community Center.

The “kids”, better known as “Goats on the Go” at work at McIntosh Woods State Park, have become not only an effective workforce, but they are a popular attraction at the park, according to DNR Park Ranger Tammy Domonoske.  Steady streams of cars are filling lots, as visitors want to see the goats in action.

And boy, have they been in action.

Domonoske and CLEAR Project Coordinator Jim Sholly report that in just eight days, the herd of 48 goats had cleared woody ground cover on four acres at the park.  They were moved to their second site on Wednesday, Sept. 14, and a third site was already being prepped with fencing for a third move days later.

Domonoske said as goats clear areas she and other park staff are now able to get in and cut up and clear downed limbs and waste.  The work is being done in an effort to allow more sunlight to reach the ground and promote the growth of grasses.

“This is exactly what needs to be done,” said Sholly, who looks at the work from the perspective of promoting the overall health of the lake.  “As all this woody brush is eaten and cleared away, the sun can get in and help grasses grow, which in turn stabilizes the shoreline and keeps the nutrients here.  Bare soil— that’s what’s degrading our lake.”

That means getting rid of invasive, non-native species such as honeysuckle, buckthorn and other nuisance vegetation that have crowded-out native plants in the park’s woodlands.

  “We are trying to mimic what Mother Nature had here,” said Sholly.

Goats On The Go is a targeted grazing company based in Ames, Iowa.  The public is encouraged to watch the goats in action, but be aware an electric fence is keeping the animals contained.  The public should not attempt to pet or feed the animals.

Funding to bring the goats to McIntosh Woods State Park was  provided by the Kinney Lindstrom Foundation and the Association for Preservation of Clear Lake.