LANCASTER, N.Y. — OK, animal lovers, this story is for you.
Erie County is using an innovative way to kill invasive plants -- get this -- they're using goats.
Yes, the goats are hard at work, eating the invasive plants like breakfast.
Japanese Knotweed is a problem in throughout Como Park in Lancaster.
"It is very difficult to kill it is not easy to clean out usually you'll have to use herbicides and a lot of man hours," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said.
But the county won't use any of that.
Instead, these four-legged friends from Wales, will eat the knotweed from dawn to dusk for a month. An electric fence is being used so the goats won't run away. It's hoped that the goats will clear an acre of space. This is called Goatscaping.
"Goatscaping is not a new concept. The idea of using goats to do what they naturally do is eat a lot is something that is very successful across the country," Jen Zeitler of Let's Goat Buffalo said.
Near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, one company is charging as much as $850 per week to use goats to clear out vegetation.
In Michigan, the city of Ann Arbor is using goats this month to clear out brush in a local park.
Goats will even eat Poison Ivy.
"Goats love it, it doesn't irritate them. It's like dessert," Zeitler said.
Experts say the Japanese Knotweed will grow back, but not as thick.
"And they're going to allow those native plants that should be growing here to compete," Zeitler said.
The county will spend $3,500 to see how the goats do.
"I'm really looking forward to see how this project results in the end after a month to see exactly what we have and if this is something that we should continue," Poloncarz said.
And, if you plan on checking out the goats, just keep some distance and if you're walking your dog, keep them on a leash.
"We want to enjoy this and watch it, but we also want the goats to do their business and not get spooked by people with animals, or other words, trying to get so close to the goats that they're taking selfies and things like that," Poloncarz said.
It's possible that the goats will be used in other parks.
Park officials say the goats are already attracting people to Como Park to check them out.
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